As Russian spy ship reveals Vladimir Putin's sinister intentions, defence spending must rise
Defence Secretary John Healey warns Vladimir Putin that ‘military options’ are ready to deal with Russian spy ship if necessary
The malign activities of the Russian spy ship Yantar on the edge of UK waters off the north coast only serve to underline Scotland’s strategically important position in the North Atlantic.
The Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap remains just as vital a naval choke-point as it was during the Cold War. This and the presence of offshore oil installations and windfarms, along with major internet cables, mean this part of the world is of keen interest to Russian military planners.
The decision by the Yantar’s crew to direct lasers at British pilots – presumably with Vladimir Putin’s backing – demonstrates a recklessness that is a further worrying sign about his regime’s intentions as they continue to probe the defences, capabilities and infrastructure of Nato countries in Europe.
‘We see you’
Defence Secretary John Healey was robust in his response to the incident. “My message to Russia and to Putin is this: We see you. We know what you're doing. If the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready,” he said. “We have military options ready should the Yantar change course. I'm not going to reveal those, because that only makes president Putin wiser."
The war in Ukraine may seem a distant conflict to many now, but it is increasingly obvious that Putin’s ambitions extend far beyond that war-torn country. In such circumstances, it would be reckless in the extreme not to prepare our Armed Forces for the worst-case scenario.
Until relatively recently, Europe enjoyed a long peace dividend in which military spending was, quite rightly, allowed to fall to historically low levels, enabling successive governments to spend more money on making people’s lives better.
Security through strength
However, as regrettable as it is, this is simply no longer the case. Despite many pressing demands on government spending, defence must be a priority and should rise even further.
While the situation is concerning, we should not be frightened – provided we take the necessary action. By building up our military strength in cooperation with our allies, we should be able to deter any acts of outright aggression towards Nato.
But make no mistake, Putin will only respect strength and will see any weakness as an opportunity.
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