US plans to station nukes in UK to counter threat from Russia — The Telegraph
Washington, D.C., USA (Svidomi) — The United States plans to station nuclear weapons in the UK for the first time in 15 years because of the threat from Moscow, The Telegraph reports, citing documents from the US Department of Defence.
America withdrew nuclear missiles from the UK in 2008, judging that the Cold War threat from Moscow had diminished.
The return of US weapons to the UK is part of NATO's overall programme of development and modernisation of nuclear facilities.
Documents on the US department of defence’s procurement database reveal plans for a “nuclear mission” that will take place “imminently” at RAF Lakenheath, where nuclear weapons were stationed during the Cold War.
The documents show that the Pentagon has ordered new equipment for the base, including ballistic shields designed to protect military personnel from attacks on "high value assets". RAF Lakenheath is expected to house B61-12 gravity bombs, which have a variable yield of up to 50 kilotons.
The Pentagon refused to comment on speculation that the new "surety dormitory", first revealed in budget documents last year, was intended for a tactical nuclear weapons deployment base.
"It is US policy not to confirm or deny the presence or absence of nuclear weapons in any general or specific location," a US Department of Defence spokesman said.
Earlier, Russia said it would regard the deployment of US weapons in Britain as an "escalation" and promised "compensatory countermeasures" in response.
"This escalatory step is the opposite of solving the primary task of withdrawing all US nuclear weapons from Europe, where they are deployed as part of NATO's so-called joint nuclear missions," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in September 2023.
It will be recalled that the Chair of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Rob Bauer called on civilians in the West to prepare for a conflict with Russia.
The head of the British army, General Sir Patrick Sanders, warned that Britain should increase its military readiness for the possibility of a land war with Russia.
In early January, the Swedish Defence Minister called on society not to take peace as a constant and to prepare for a possible war
