Brits living near an RAF nuclear base are terrified they’ve been marked out as Vladimir Putin’s first targets in the event of World War 3.
A site near the village of Lakenheath, West Suffolk will be host to American nuclear bombs, Pentagon documents revealed last month. It marks the first time the US will store such weapons on UK soil in over decade.
Two squadrons of F-35 fighters will also be stationed at the base alongside a new £40million dormitory. A local resident told the Sun: “I fear we will become one of the first targets if this conflict escalates.
“The enemy will want to neutralise any threat coming from the Americans and us and could well strike first. It doesn’t bear thinking about.”
They added that they had “got used” to the Americans staying nearby, but added there was “always the risk” that a US war could lead to their area having a target painted on it.
However, not all the villagers had the same concern.
Alan Turner told the outlet: “People living here know what might happen one day – and they get used to it.
“In some ways it is good to have the Americans here because it gives us a sense of security – it’s no good us worrying about what might happen.”
Local district councillor Gerald Kelly said: “In terms of day-to-day life locals have learned to live with them even though having weapons stored here is abhorrent for some of them.
“We have Americans here living among us but we all hate the idea of a nuclear war and it would be excellent if there never is one.
“But we need a deterrent and we have co-existed with the Americans for many years.”
It comes after the US House Intelligence Committee called for Joe Biden to declassify information about the “serious national security threat” from Russia. The Kremlin is reportedly intending to arm satellites with nuclear weapons.
While the reported weapon is understood to not yet be operational, it could threaten the US’ satellite network, NBC News reported.
Moscow denies the existence of the weapon.
Republican congressman Mike Turner sent an email to members of Congress on Wednesday saying his committee had “identified an urgent matter with regard to a destabilising foreign military capability” that should be known to all congressional policymakers.
