A high-profile Russian propagandist has made a direct threat to the UK during one of his radio shows. Vladimir Solovyov urged the Russian military to sink British ships. Solovyov, who has received several awards from the Russian government for his “professionalism” and work, said: “We should sink British ships that are trying to seize the ships acting in our interests. Sink them!

“If they try to do anything about it, sink those who try it. No one will understand our love of peace. I repeat it once again: we don’t need their love, we need their fear.” During the same programme, he also argued in favour of a “devastating strike” against Europe.

The propagandist and huge supporter of Vladimir Putin appeared to refer to the UK’s coordinated efforts with European allies to block Russian shadow fleet ships.

In late March, Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK was now “ready to act” to board and detain ships part of the so-called Russian shadow fleet should they trespass into British waters.

Asked why that decision had not come sooner, John Healey told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “What operations like this require is training, preparation, understanding discussion with allies [and] a clear legal basis”.

Healey said these points were now “lined up and ready” and the decision represented “a signal that we will take action when we see illegal and sanctioned shadow ships. This is a signal to Putin that he may want us to be distracted by the Middle East but we’re ready to act.”

Meanwhile, the UK continue its defensive mission in the Middle East, an update from the Ministry of Defence said.

In an update shared on X yesterday (April 3), it said: “RAF Regiment gunners operating in a high threat area, succesfully downed multiple Iranian drones overnight. UK Typhoones and F-35 jets, together with Wildcat helicopters, have continued their defensive missions over Cyprus, Jordan, Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain overnight.”

Meanwhile, because of the ongoing war in the Middle East and a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, Britons are bracing for a cost-of-living squeeze.

Around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas is shipped through the strait, and its closure sent global oil prices skyrocketing. Fuel duty is frozen until September, with the increase scheduled for then under review as a result of the high prices, and average household energy bills are predicted to rise when Ofgem’s current price cap expires at the end of June.