Russian threat in North Sea is of 'different order', warns Keir Starmer
The prime minister said the country needs to be 'prepared' for attempts from Vladimir Putin's regime to target infrastructure, potentially including oil platforms and undersea cables.
'The level of threat and instability is of a different order than all of us have experienced in quite some time now,' he told The Press and Journal.
The prime minister was speaking in Glasgow on Monday morning as he unveiled the UK Government's strategic defence review.
It comes just days after a significant escalation in the war in eastern Europe as Ukraine launched a major drone attack on Russian bombers.
Last week the Royal Navy shadowed a Russian intelligence gathering ship, Yuri Ivanov, in waters off the Western Isles.
We previously reported that the North Sea was identified as being at risk from increased Russian aggression.
Labour defence minister Luke Pollard warned data-carrying subsea cables were a potential weak spot for economic damage if targeted by Russia.
'There is a real risk to our critical national infrastructure if we don't have the capabilities to defend that infrastructure,' he told the P&J last year.
The ministry of defence outlined new measures to protect subsea cables in January.
The prime minister was asked whether Russian aggression could result in power outages or internet blackouts.
He said: 'The threats from Russia take different forms, and we have to be prepared for all of them.
'You've seen the threats to our air and to our water, to cyber, and of course the threats that we see to cabling in different parts of the world.
'We're working as you would expect with allies to ensure we can protect all of our infrastructure and all of our capabilities.'
The prime minister promised more defence jobs across Scotland as part of his plans to increase defence spending.
Sir Keir revealed the UK Government will build at least six new munitions factories across Britain and invest £15 billion in nuclear warheads.
The Labour leader said the country is moving to a 'war-fighting readiness'.
Three years ago, a Russian military expert warned Russian leader Mr Putin could detonate a nuclear weapon in the North Sea to 'see what happens'.
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