Putin takes aim at UK in anti-Nato game of fear

Key Points:

• Western Europe has become accustomed to Russia's low-level hostile actions, reducing the impact of events like the assassination of a British defence-firm CEO on President Putin's authority amid setbacks in the Ukraine war.
• US intelligence warns of a possible Russian attack on a Baltic state or Poland soon, prompting a Nato military drill, while Russia threatens strikes on the UK over its drone support to Kyiv.
• Experts suggest Putin might pursue covert actions against the UK that stay below Nato's threshold for collective military response, including cyber-attacks, sabotage, or psychological pressure on diplomats.
• Russia has already conducted cyber-attacks on UK companies, sabotaged infrastructure in Europe, and plotted assassinations of defence executives in Germany, with similar threats believed to extend to the UK.
• Analysts note that such hostile acts are ongoing and expected, so Russia may seek a new, more shocking tactic to reassert strength, possibly involving proxy forces targeting British soldiers abroad.