Russia lashes out at UK’s Gavin Williamson
Russia on 26 January said the British Defence Secretary had stepped beyond ‘the boundaries of reason’ after he accused Moscow of planning to create chaos in the UK that could ‘cause thousands and thousands of deaths’.
Britain’s Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson made the unusually alarmist comments in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, in which he also said Russia was spying on the UK's critical infrastructure.
Igor Konashenkov, Russian defence ministry spokesman, said: ‘The minister's fear of Russia photographing electric power plants or studying the routes of British gas pipelines is like something out of a children's comic or the show 'Monty Python's Flying Circus.’
The location of electric power plants and pipelines were as secret as ‘Westminster Abbey or Big Ben,’ the spokesman said.
Konashenkov added: ‘If these statements are an attempt by Wilson to attract attention to himself, he will be far from the first defence minister to try to score political points by playing up the Russian threat to the British.’
The strongly worded statement suggested Britain's military staff be ‘recertified’ by the medical board if they were giving Williamson such information.
The interview was more likely an attempt to boost the defence ministry's budget, Konashenkov added.
Williamson, who only became defence chief in November after his predecessor Michael Fallon resigned over allegations of misconduct, gave the interview at the outset of a new five-month defence review.
According to British reports, he is pressuring Finance Minister Philip Hammond to allocate more money to defence and scrap further cuts to Britain's strained armed forces.
More from Defence Notes
-
![What the future holds for Ukraine and NATO under a Trump administration]()
What the future holds for Ukraine and NATO under a Trump administration
Although Trump’s geopolitics policy for Europe remains unclear, defence analysts from the US and Europe predict how his incoming administration would attempt to handle critical issues on the continent.
-
![RUSI deputy: UK needs longer procurement plans and improved awareness of US sift to Indo-Pacific]()
RUSI deputy: UK needs longer procurement plans and improved awareness of US sift to Indo-Pacific
The UK budget announced in Parliament on 30 October was the first by a Labour government in 14 years which has also launched a review into defence procurement programmes.
-
![Australia outlines longer punch and brings local industry onboard]()
Australia outlines longer punch and brings local industry onboard
The Australian government has placed a focus on Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) which has included the purchase of additional long-range rocket systems and investments in local production of missiles.
-
![UK boosts defence budget by 5.3%, but is this enough?]()
UK boosts defence budget by 5.3%, but is this enough?
The UK budget announced in Parliament on 30 October is the first by a Labour government in 14 years. While it sees a boost in defence spending, this comes in the face of fiscal challenges and the effects of inflation.
-
![UK makes big moves to fix “broken” defence procurement system ahead of major review]()
UK makes big moves to fix “broken” defence procurement system ahead of major review
The changes are intended to meet greater need and deliver more value for money.
-
![US companies invest in production capabilities to satisfy DoD’s hunger for cutting-edge capabilities]()
US companies invest in production capabilities to satisfy DoD’s hunger for cutting-edge capabilities
BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton and Lockheed Martin have been betting on new facilities and innovative manufacturing technologies to speed up the development of new solutions.
