Russia could kill 'thousands' in UK power station attack, warns Defence Secretary

Gavin Williamson says Russia wants to cause 'so much pain'

Russia wants to cause "so much pain to Britain" that it could launch an attack killing "thousands and thousands and thousands", the Defence Secretary has warned.

Gavin Williamson predicted that Russia would launch an offensive not by arriving on a land craft at Brighton beach but targeting the UK's critical energy infrastructure.

He speculated the attack would come as a missile launch or cyberattack.

The comments were published on the same day the Daily Mail revealed he "almost threw away" his marriage after kissing a colleague in 2004.

Mr Williamson, who is touted as a possible Conservative leadership contender, said Russia was looking to cripple Britain's power stations.

Asked why Moscow was researching those areas in particular, he told the Daily Telegraph: "It is because they are saying, 'These are the ways we can hurt Britain.'"

"The plan for the Russians won't be for landing craft to appear in the South Bay in Scarborough, and off Brighton Beach.

"They are going to be thinking, 'How can we just cause so much pain to Britain? Damage its economy, rip its infrastructure apart, actually cause thousands and thousands and thousands of deaths, but actually have an element of creating total chaos within the country.'"

Mr Williamson said that after causing "the chaos", Russia would then "step back", adding he believes it is a "real threat".

It comes after Mr Williamson announced he was launching a review of the military's needs dubbed the Defence Modernisation Programme.

He promised it would be "fiscally neutral" in a bid to head off Tory MPs threatening a revolt against cuts.