About once a month, the Royal Air Force scrambles Typhoon fighters for something called a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA). Typically, two Russian nuclear-capable bombers approach Scotland, the RAF aircraft shadow them closely and, at a suitably theatrical moment, the Russians turn away. The episode merits a tiny press release from the Ministry of Defence.
Russia is continuously demonstrating its preparedness to cause mass death on the British mainland
What most people don’t realise is that the Russian aircraft often open their bomb doors, revealing missiles which may, or may not, contain nuclear warheads; and that they line up on specific targets: city centres, nuclear power stations, airports, or other strategic places.
Russia is continuously demonstrating its preparedness to cause mass death on the British mainland. And, unlike the British, who douse all utterances about nuclear matters in copious sangfroid, the Russian state media revels in atomic gruesomeness.
“The explosion of this thermonuclear torpedo by Britain’s coastline,” threatened one Russian TV host in 2022, “will cause a gigantic tsunami wave.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate, free for a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.
UNLOCK ACCESS Try a month freeAlready a subscriber? Log in