Putin warned one nuke-loaded UK submarine ‘could incinerate 40 Russian cities’ | World | News

One British nuclear submarine, armed with Trident missiles, could wipe out 40 Russian cities in a single strike, a British military expert has said. Rear Admiral Chris Parry issued his stark warning with tensions spiking and the onus on Europe to stand firm against Russia over Ukraine

The former senior naval officer said: “One Trident submarine has the ability to incinerate 40 Russian cities very quickly. That is a lot of food for thought for Putin and that should make any world leader fearful.” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously weighed in on the credibility of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, saying: “I think they appreciate our capability.

“What is obviously important is that they appreciate that it is what it is, which is a credible capability.”

The Prime Minister was speaking during a visit to greet the return of HMS Vanguard, one of the UK’s four nuclear-armed submarines.

The Trident programme, consisting of HMS Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant, and Vengeance, is a crucial component of the UK’s defence strategy.

Each submarine is equipped with up to 16 Trident ballistic missiles, each carrying 12 independently targetable warheads.

Although UK policy limits the total number of warheads aboard to 48, the potential for mass destruction remains significant.

Despite their firepower, the Trident submarines are not without their challenges. The fleet has aged beyond its original design life, with the first submarine, HMS Vanguard, commissioned in 1993, and the last, HMS Vengeance, in 1999.

There have also been issues with missile tests, including failures in January 2024 and 2016, leading to concerns over the reliability of the fleet.

A senior naval source has voiced concerns about the submarines’ ageing technology, saying: “When something goes wrong on a submarine, it has the potential to be catastrophic.

“The older something becomes, the more prone it is to failure.”

Rear Admiral Parry told The Telegraph: “Putin knows what Trident submarines can deliver. Russian air defence systems are not that great.

“Russia is also the largest country on Earth—it is impossible to defend against a ballistic missile attack.”

As the UK prepares for the eventual replacement of the Trident fleet with the Dreadnought-class submarines, the cost of maintaining the current fleet has risen sharply -but Rear Admiral Parry added: “It is an insurance policy—often expensive until you need it.”

Speaking on Thursday, Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK should not “fight shy” of the fact it has such weapons, which he described as the “ultimate guarantor”.

He told The Times: “Our nuclear deterrent is there as a deterrent.

“It is the ultimate guarantor to any would-be adversary.

“We have the power to do untold damage to them if they attack us.”