Russia's embassy in London said on Tuesday that Moscow had no intention of attacking Britain after the UK’s Strategic Defence Review highlighted a series of threats from Vladimir Putin’s regime.
The SDR mentions Russia 33 times and tells of the “immediate and pressing threat” posed by it.
In an introduction to the 144-page document, Sir Keir Starmer stressed: “In this new era for defence and security, when Russia is waging war on our continent and probing our defences at home, we must meet the danger head on.”
The SDR emphasised: “Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine makes unequivocally clear its willingness to use force to achieve its goals, as well as its intent to re-establish spheres of influence in its near-abroad and disrupt the international order to the UK and its allies’ disadvantage.
“While the Ukraine conflict has temporarily degraded Russian conventional land forces, the overall modernisation and expansion of its armed forces means it will pose an enduring threat in key areas such as space, cyberspace, information operations, undersea warfare, and chemical and biological weapons.”
Defence Secretary John Healey has warned that Britain’s military is coming under daily cyber attacks from Russia, as well as other countries.
But the Russian Embassy in London rejected the claims against the Putin regime of aggression, criticising what it described as "a fresh salvo of anti-Russian rhetoric".
In a statement, it said: “Russia poses no threat to the United Kingdom and its people.
“We harbour no aggressive intentions and have no plans to attack Britain. We are not interested in doing so, nor do we need to.”
However, the statement will be treated with scepticism in Whitehall and at Westminster given the repeated denials that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine, before doing so in February 2022.
Mr Healey has told how laser weapons will be installed on Royal Navy ships within two years to protect the UK against a missile attack by Russia, or other aggressor.
The Cabinet minister has also warned of the threat of a biological attack on Britain’s streets by Russia, following the poisoning of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with Novichok in Salisbury in March 2018.
They both survived but Dawn Burgess, 44, died after also coming into contact with the nerve agent.
British prosecutors identified two Russians who they said were operating under aliases, Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, who they believe tried to murder the Skripals with the military-grade nerve agent.
Relations between Russia and Britain are at their lowest level since the Cold War.
They deteriorated further after Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The UK has led moves to arm Ukraine, first with anti-tank weapons, then Challenger II tanks and Storm Shadow long-range missiles.
China's embassy in London also criticised Britain's defence review, saying that the document deliberately misrepresented Beijing's defence policy to justify British military expansion.
The SDR had described China as "a sophisticated and persistent challenge", citing its rapid military modernisation, including an expanded nuclear arsenal, and saying Beijing was likely using espionage and cyberattacks, and stealing intellectual property.
The review, which included 62 recommendations, proposed sweeping changes, including a greater focus on new technology including drones, laser weapons to protect the UK, artificial intelligence, as well as more nuclear-powered submarines, but the Government has been accused of not guaranteeing sufficient funding.
