Just like Monty Python... now Russians mock minister’s alert
MOSCOW yesterday ridiculed Gavin Williamson after he warned Russia could cause ‘thousands and thousands and thousands’ of deaths in an attack on Britain’s energy supply.
Russian defence chiefs said the comments suggested the Defence Secretary had ‘lost his grasp on reason’. And they added that the claims were so ludicrous they were like something out of a Monty Python sketch.
Mr Williamson said Russia had been looking at the UK’s critical infrastructure such as power stations and interconnectors that allow the transfer of electricity across borders.
But his comments were laughed aside by the Russian defence ministry. Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said: ‘Gavin Williamson in his fiery crusade for military budget money appears to have lost his grasp on reason.
‘His fears about Russia getting pictures of power plants and studying the routes of British pipelines are worthy of a comic plot or a Monty Python’s Flying Circus sketch.’ Mr Williamson told the Daily Telegraph that Russia was looking at electrical infrastructure ‘because they are saying, “these are the ways we can hurt Britain”.’
He speculated the ‘real threat’ could be carried out in the form of a cyber attack, from undersea activity or a missile.
He added that after causing ‘chaos’ the Kremlin would then ‘step back’.
The Defence Secretary’s warning came after RAF jets were scrambled to see off Russian bombers heading for UK airspace last week.
According to Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre, recent Russian hacks have been on the energy sector.
The number of Russian submarines close to British waters is also at its highest since the Cold War. The head of the military has said the British economy and way of life is at ‘catastrophic’ risk from Russian submarine drones that can cut underwater cables.