Putin’s Threat Aimed at London: The Purpose Behind The Bluster

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• The last cable (here) looked at how Putin is managing the Russian public before the September’s Parliament/Duma election: jailing the anti-war politician Lev Shlosberg for 11 years and removing the opposition “Yabloko” party from the ballot altogether.

• Today, we will look at the other side of the essentially same framing/narrative operation: informational war and how Putin manages the story of the war itself.

• Over the past few days, Russia has threatened the United Kingdom.

• Moscow’s embassy in London accused Britain of escalating after British-made Nyan drones were reportedly used against Russian refineries and Wildberries logistics facilities: “London’s actions,” it warned, “will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer.”

• The military facts do not justify the drama: Britain plans to provide 150,000 drones by the end of 2026 under a £752 million package.

• The Nyan attack drone reportedly costs about £100,000 and has a range above 150 miles.

• Even if these are notable and worthy additions to Ukraine’s arsenal, it is important to remember that Britain: 1) had already supplied £1 million-plus Storm Shadows with comparable range and a much heavier warhead, and 2) has committed £3 billion a year in military aid through 2030.

• The drones do not transform Britain’s role.

• They simply make it newly visible.

• In spite of this context, the Russian state television nevertheless went further.

• The chief propagandist Vladimir Solovyov called for British arms factories and ships carrying weapons to be attacked and invoked the use of Poseidon, Russia’s nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed underwater drone.

• Prime Minister Andy Burnham replied that Britain would support Ukraine “100%” and would not become a fair-weather friend.

• The Ministry of Defence said the UK remained “shoulder to shoulder” with Kyiv.

• So what to make of Russian threats?

• Could Moscow really retaliate in meaningfully escalatory manner?

• To answer this properly, we need to separate two: 1) the spectacular threat Russia is unlikely to carry out, and 2) the quieter forms of escalation it is already using and could amp up further.