Russia deploys warships with nuclear-capable missiles well within range of LONDON
Tensions escalate as Russian military source says major European cities will be targeted
RUSSIA has deployed warships to the Baltic Sea carrying nuclear-capable missiles with BRITAIN in their sights.
Two Buyan-M Corvettes are travelling to the Russian territory of Kaliningrad north of Poland -- which is just 880 miles from London.
The ships -- Serpukhov and the Zeleny Dol -- are armed with Kalibr cruise missiles that have a range of 930 miles.
The precision weapon is so destructive it has been given the codename "The Sizzler" by NATO allies.
Russian media has quoted a military source saying the ships will be tactically placed to have Europe's major cities in their cross-hairs.
Related Stories
“With the appearance of two small missile ships armed with the Kalibr cruise missiles the fleet’s potential targeting range will be significantly expanded in the northern European military theatre”, they said.
It comes as tensions between the West and Putin have intensified, with a military standoff in Eastern Europe on the horizon.
NATO confirmed that it would send 4,000 troops to the region next year -- including 800 UK military personnel plus British tanks, jets and drones.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told a summit in Brussels: "This deployment of air, land and sea forces shows that we will continue to play a leading role in NATO, supporting the defence and security of our allies."
And yesterday the Russian fleet that passed through the English Channel on its way to bomb Syria was seen stalking Gibraltar.
Led by rustbucket aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the taskforce had planned to stopover for fuel at a Spanish port just 20 miles from the British territory.
Russia suddenly withdrew the request when Western leaders put pressure on Spain to front-up to Putin.
The Baltic warships are expected to be joined by three more vessels as Putin bolsters his Baltic forces.
Earlier this month Moscow sent nuclear-capable Iskander-M missiles to Kaliningrad.
The Russian military is yet to confirm that the ships are going to be stationed in the territory, but NATO said it spotted the ships moving through the Baltic.
“NATO navies are monitoring this activity near our borders,” said Dylan White, the alliance’s acting spokesman.
“This is … worrying and is not something that helps to reduce tensions in our region,” Sweish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist told Sweden’s national TT news agency.
“This affects all the countries round the Baltic.”
Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368