MOSCOW, June 3. /TASS/. Britain is playing a leading role in escalating tensions across Europe, aiming to use Ukraine as a testing ground for its weapons and military technologies, according to Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the Institute of Law and National Security of the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, and a senior researcher at the Institute of Latin America of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"Britain is one of the main drivers behind the escalation of confrontation with Russia. Its primary aim is to test combat solutions under real combat conditions, using Ukraine as a testing ground for tactics and various weapon systems, with the intention of projecting these strategies to other regions near Russia’s borders," Stepanov explained. He was commenting on recent statements by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who announced increased defense spending to ensure the readiness of the armed forces.
The expert also highlighted the launch of the ReArm Europe project this year, which allocates approximately 800 billion euros toward strengthening the European Union’s defense capabilities, including enhancing the strategic autonomy of its military-industrial complex. Although Britain has exited the EU’s military budget framework due to Brexit, it continues to follow and influence the trend toward militarization. The UK is particularly interested in developing its own military-industrial sector, with about 50 large companies operating in this field. Notably, these companies’ representatives visited Ukraine in May to explore opportunities for further cooperation.
Meanwhile, British defense spending is on the rise. Stepanov notes that this year’s expenditure reached around 70 billion euros. London has also set a record budget extending through 2034, with annual growth in defense allocations, increasing from 3% to 3.5%. This aligns with conditions previously set by U.S. President Donald Trump, urging European countries to boost their financial support for NATO.
Dependence on the U.S.
However, Stepanov emphasizes that Britain’s technological sovereignty remains limited. London is heavily dependent on the American military-industrial complex in critical areas. For example, its nuclear deterrent capabilities are primarily naval, with the Vanguard-class nuclear submarines armed with U.S.-made Trident intercontinental ballistic missiles. Maintenance and modernization of these assets require American cooperation. Regarding the deployment of F-35 fighters, increased reliance on Lockheed Martin is inevitable. Despite Rolls-Royce’s strong engineering tradition in engine manufacturing and ambitious plans to develop hypersonic aircraft, Britain currently does not possess, nor is it expected to develop, its own fifth-generation fighters.
Furthermore, Stepanov points out that Ukraine remains a key testing ground for various unmanned systems - both naval and aerial - and tactics involving sabotage, which are essentially terrorist operations. Ukraine is not only a platform for testing military industrial technologies but also serves as a proxy environment for cultivating terrorist groups and experimenting with methods of their deployment, including attacks against civilian populations and infrastructure within Russia.