Moscow on Friday condemned British plans for military bases in South East Asia and the Caribbean, and warned of retaliation if Russian interests or those of its allies were threatened.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson told The Telegraph in an interview before the New Year that the UK would ramp up its military presence abroad after Brexit and open two new bases.
Whitehall is reportedly considering building the bases in Singapore or Brunei in the South China Sea and in Montserrat or Guyana in the Caribbean.
On Friday, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told journalists that Mr Williamson’s remarks were destabilising and would lead to the further militarisation of British politics.
Meanwhile, Moscow has waged a military campaign to save Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria and preserve its naval and air force bases there. Some politicians have called for Russian bases to be reopened in Cuba and Vietnam.