A RAGING Vladimir Putin could shut down power grids and “turn lights off for millions” in a vicious cyber attack, an MP will warn.
But minister Pat McFadden, set to address a Nato conference in days, will also declare that “the United Kingdom and others in this room are watching Russia”.
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McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, will warn Britain’s allies next week that we must “not underestimate” the threat posed by Russia in its “hidden war”.
Putin’s forces have previously targeted UK energy infrastructure and “won’t think twice” about attacking British businesses, he will tell the military alliance.
“With a cyber attack, Russia can turn the lights off for millions of people. It can shut down the power grids,” McFadden is due to say, The Telegraph reports.
The cyber attack plans would be an attempt to dilute support for Ukraine from allied states.
It could provoke a “destabilising and debilitating” cyber war – with McFadden slamming the Kremlin as “exceptionally aggressive and reckless” in this area.
“Be in no doubt: the United Kingdom and others in this room are watching Russia,” he will add at the Cyber Defence Conference in Lancaster House.
“We know exactly what they are doing, and we are countering their attacks both publicly and behind the scenes.
“That’s why we support Ukraine in its fight to decide its own destiny.
“Putin is a man who wants destruction, not peace. He is trying to deter our support for Ukraine with his threats.
“He will not be successful.”
The warning of Russia’s impeding cyber attack comes after Ukraine fired Western long-range missiles deep into enemy territory last week.
After over two years of war, and repeated requests by Kyiv for permission to fire the hefty weapons into Russia, the US and UK finally gave the green-light.
Embattled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky oversaw an impressive double-tap attack only days after – launching US-made ATACMS rockets first and British Storm Shadow missiles two days later.
Putin responded by firing a medium-range intercontinental ballistic missile (IRBM) – raining down a slew of warheads above the city of Dnipro.
Deranged Vlad soon said in a meeting with military chiefs: “We will continue these tests, including in combat conditions, depending on the situation and character of the security threats posted to Russia.”
He added that he has “a stockpile of such systems ready for use”.
He warned that US and UK targets – particularly military ones – would be high on his hit-list after Ukraine’s attacks.
Putin has long been a fan of sneaky cyber attacks when targeting his enemies in the West – previously thought to have used Kremlin-tied cyber gangs to attack the NHS.
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