The UK is considering developing long-range missiles that can take out Russian nuclear weapons launched from inside of its territory following Russian ruler Vladimir Putin's claims that he may be prepared to use them, The Times writes.
Recently, the new head of the British military, General Sir Roly Walker, has warned that the UK's armed forces must be ready in three years to fight a war against an "axis of upheaval" of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
Walker predicted that Putin would emerge from his war in Ukraine as dangerous and "wanting retribution" against Kyiv's allies, including the UK, whether Moscow wins or loses.
Additionally, an internal Ukrainian Defense Ministry document seen by The Times warned that Putin's nuclear strategy poses a "very serious threat" and that he is "increasingly willing to take risks" if he considers it in his interests.
Russia's apparent increasing reliance on tactical nuclear weapons "poses a serious problem for the US and NATO." The reduction in the nuclear potential of the US and NATO after the collapse of the Soviet Union is creating a "gap" in the West's deterrence capabilities, it said.
According to diplomatic sources, the new weapons may have a range of about 2,000 miles and will be developed in cooperation with Germany. The missiles will allegedly have the capability to travel from as far as Berlin to Moscow if Putin decides to launch tactical nuclear weapons.
Currently, the US and Germany plan to deploy long-range US missiles - the Tomahawk cruise, SM-6, and hypersonic missiles - to Germany from 2026 for the first time since the Cold War. Boris Pistorius, the German defense minister, said the idea behind this plan was to encourage European countries to invest in producing such missiles.
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