Senior UK MPs to be briefed on dangers posed by Putin's Russia

[inanna]

Source: The Guardian

Saturday 17 December 2016 14.40 GMT

A cross-party group of senior MPs, including the shadow defence secretary, Nia Griffith, is to be briefed by officials in Finland and Estonia on the threat posed by Russia, in an attempt by the MPs to help suspend any sympathy British politicians may have with the Kremlin.

A delegation of six MPs will meet officials and local politicians on Sunday to discuss the threat of hybrid warfare from Vladimir Putin’s government. Last month it was announced that the European Union was planning to set up a “hybrid threat” centre in Finland to combat the growing number of cyberattacks, including disinformation and fake news promoted on social media. Estonian politicians have accused Russia of stirring antagonism towards immigrants in their country.

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On Saturday, it was reported that Theresa May was preparing to hold a National Security Council session to examine Russia’s actions towards Britain and its allies.

Woodcock said: “Russia under Putin has been steadily increasing its level of threat to its neighbours, and after the slaughter it sponsored in Aleppo, it deserves to be treated as a pariah nation.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/17/senior-mps-to-be-briefed-on-dangers-posed-by-putins-russia

[War Horse]

1. It's all pretty absurd

Have Russians been demonized to the point of the absurd for the past decades? Sure. But is Russia under Putin a real threat that should be taken seriously? Well, as a Norwegian I'm with my Finnish and Estonian neighbours here. There's a reason why they are nervous.