Vladimir Putin’s aggression threatens to plunge the West into a second Cold War, British defence boss warns
Putin was 'sending a message' by showing off his fleet of battleships in the North Sea as they made their way to Syria
RUSSIAN warships sailing past the UK is a throwback to the era of constant nuclear threat, according to top defence chief Mike Penning.
He warned Vladimir Putin's aggressive tactics could pull Britain into a new Cold War.
The Armed Forces Minister claims by sending the fleet of ships and the Admiral Kuznetsov, the president was showing what Russia "could do".
Penning called for more money to go into Britain's defence and armed forces, as Russia continues to build a military presence in Europe and globally.
Speaking in Parliament he said: "Most of us thought the Cold War was over.
“We thought we could look at the threats from other parts of the world and apply our defence accordingly.
“In the past couple of months we have had to look back to the old foe.
“We saw their fleet sailing through the English Channel, probably as a sign of what they could do.
“We saw black smoke coming out of the top of the aircraft carrier – she could not have gone a knot faster if she had tried because she is so old and decrepit – but she represents a threat.
“Could they have gone round the north, as they have done before?"
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Penning is pushing for the government to spend more than the current two per cent of annual GDP.
This comes after the Russian fleet of warships was seen entering the English Channel last Thursday morning – just miles from the port of Dover.
The giant eight-ship convoy was pictured steaming through the 21 mile-wide neck of the Channel as RAF Hercules reconnaissance planes flew overhead.
Machine gun-toting marines could be seen guarding the flight deck to deter anyone approaching the ship.
Two hi-tech Royal Navy vessels are “man-marking” Vladimir Putin’s flotilla as it passes through the Dover Straits 211 years since Britain’s greatest sea battle – the Battle of Trafalgar.
The threat to Britain’s territory has led to concerns at Number 10 as a spokesperson for Theresa May said defence chiefs were “monitoring the situation closely”.
The fleet is on its way to step up Putin's bombing campaign in Syria, which Western leaders have denounced for potential war crimes.
Read what experts have to say on the potential threat of danger from Russia.
One of Putin's top aides had his emails hacked, with some of Russia's darkest secrets revealed.
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