'Turn out the lights!' Putin prepares for cyber war with 'traditional enemy' Britain after 'delaying' NHS cancer treatment

The senior Cabinet Minister - who reviews national security policy and state threats - will warn that the Kremlin is “exceptionally aggressive and reckless in the cyber realm” and is seeking to acquire a “strategic advantage and degrade the states that support Ukraine”.

Such a cyber attack risks severe impact upon the nation’s infrastructure and business, with a high chance of it “shut[ting] down the power grids” and wreaking havoc on the UK economy.

When the minister addresses the cyber defence conference, he will describe that, in the past year, the Russian military, along with its "unofficial army of cyber criminals and hacktivists", have "not just stepped up their attacks, but widened their targets to a number of Nato members and partners".

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will say: “In the UK, Russia has targeted our media, our telecoms, our political and democratic institutions and our energy infrastructure.

“Military hard power is one thing. But cyber war can be destabilising and debilitating. With a cyber attack, Russia can turn the lights off for millions of people.

“It can shut down the power grids. This is the hidden war Russia is waging with Ukraine.”

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The minister's speech will be delivered after a number of Russian propagandists called for Britain and Europe to be bombarded with nuclear missiles in response to claims that Ukraine had supplied Russia with

Kremlin mouthpiece MP and TV presenter Yevgeny Popov said: "Special attention to Britain, our traditional enemy, as a significant part of the [Russian] Northern Fleet will work against [the UK]."

Additionally, he warned that major cities across Europe are at risk of Russian retaliation, including Manchester, Birmingham, Devonport, the Clyde, Portsmouth as well as swathes of Kent.

He added: "This is Britain at its most vulnerable.

"Basically, all it would take is three missiles and this civilization would collapse."

A potential Russian cyber attack leave the UK in a similar perilous state as when, earlier this year, NHS hospitals in London were hacked, which led to 800 delayed operations, as well as 700 outpatient appointments.

Even those who required cancer treatment and organ transplants had their appointments and surgeries postponed.

The UK accused a Russian cyber criminal gang Qilin of coordinating the attack on computers which are run by Synnovis - the same software which delivers pathology services to healthcare organisations.

NHS data in London has revealed that almost 100 cancer treatments were delayed in a six-day period due to lingering issues from the initial attack.