Jens Stoltenberg: Jens Stoltenberg

Quotes 

• News Anchor : [the BBC loses contact with their Warsaw correspondent after an explosion of some kind in the area]  I'm sorry, but we seem to have lost our connection with Warsaw. We'll try and clarify the situation there and hopefully reconnect as soon as possible, but for the moment, let's go back to Kate Miller to see what the latest developments are. Kate?

  Kate Miller : Thanks, John. The leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, has complained that the government is not telling the public the whole truth about the conflict, arguing that people have the right to know what's happening, and what danger they face. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has ordered emergency announcements to be broadcast, and has instructed that all underground stations be immediately open to members of the public, to provide shelter against a possible air attack on the capital.

  News Anchor : [receives news of a Russian attack on three of NATO's early warning radar stations]  And I'm sorry to interrupt; we've just had breaking news of a significant explosion at RAF Fylingdales in Yorkshire; the home of Britain's Ballistic Missile Early Warning System, in what appears to be the first direct attack against UK forces on British soil.

  [a map is shown of NATO's Ballistic Missile Early Warning System] 

  News Anchor : We've also had reports of similar attacks on Thule Air Force Base in Greenland, and on Clear Air Force Station in Alaska, from what appear to be submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Sir Norman, this is clearly a strategic move by Russian military commanders.

  Norman Fairchild : Yes, all of these military bases are part of a network of early warning radar systems designed to detect a nuclear launch against the West, and to help to target incoming nuclear warheads. NATO has quite a substantial anti-ballistic missile system but it relies on accurate targeting. So, without these advanced radar capabilities, we'll be more or less *shooting blind*. it's pretty clear that we're going to get into a real shooting match very soon.

  News Anchor : Thank you, Sir Norman. Obviously, we'll be monitoring the situation carefully as the mobilization of British forces continues to accelerate.

  [cut to live footage of fighter jets leaving RAF Northolt] 

  News Anchor : We have live footage from RAF Northolt near London. These appear to be Typhoon fighter jets taking off in rapid sequence. We have unconfirmed reports that RAF fighters have been sent to intercept Russian long-range bomber and surveillance aircraft. We stress that this is not confirmed, but we will bring you as much information as possible as we receive it.

  [Communications are heard between commanders at RAF Northolt, and the fighters jets leaving the base] 

  News Anchor : This is quite a powerful image, the weather obviously deteriorating somewhat, clearly heading straight to a high altitude as quickly as possible; the men and women of the Royal Air Force on their way into what must be a very uncertain future.

  [pauses briefly as more communications are heard] 

  News Anchor : And we have similar scenes from NATO military bases and command facilities across Europe. Clearly, the military situation is of grave concern, but we're limited in what we can report.

  [receives word of an upcoming statement from NATO headquarters in Brussels] 

  News Anchor : We've just heard that we can expect a live statement from NATO Central Command in the next few minutes. Obviously, we'll bring you that as it happens.

  [cut to footage of staff from the US Embassy in Central London being evacuated by the US Secret Service] 

  News Anchor : And we've just had news that the US ambassador and senior consulate staff are being evacuated from Central London; clearly, something has gone terribly wrong. Heavily armed US Secret Service personnel are escorting US diplomatic staff to waiting helicopters and military aircraft.

  [pauses as he receives an update from Washington] 

  News Anchor : We've just heard that the Pentagon and all major centres of government are being evacuated. I'm not sure if that's Green Park or St. James's Park in London, or possibly Hyde Park. These scenes are just unbelievable... The sense of urgency is very clear; they're getting out as quickly as possible, now.

  [pauses] 

  News Anchor : This is certainly a very frightening scene.

  [receives an update regarding US Air Force mobilisation] 

  News Anchor : And we've just heard that all US military bases in Europe have been ordered to get their remaining aircraft into the air, in what appears to be a frightening escalation in the conflict.

  [cut to NATO headquarters in Brussels preparing for a statement] 

  News Anchor : And we're now going live to Brussels for a statement from NATO Regional Headquarters. Let's listen into this live broadcast.

  Conference Host : The Secretary General will start, and then we'll be able to take a few questions. Secretary General?

  NATO Secretary General : The security environment in which we meet today is dark.

  [More footage is shown of US diplomatic staff being evacuated from Central London, as the statement continues] 

  NATO Secretary General : This nuclear saber rattling by Russia is unjustified, it's destabilizing, and it's dangerous. This is something which we are addressing, and it's also one of the reasons why we now are increasing the readiness and the preparedness of our forces, and we are responding, by making sure that NATO, in the future, is an alliance which provides deterrence and protection for all allies against any threat.

  [the BBC receives reports of an attack on Beale Air Force Base in California, one of NATO's remaining early warning radar stations] 

  News Anchor : And we've just had reports of a major detonation at Beale Air Force base in California. We've had amateur footage from a number of sources in Sacramento that clearly show a huge cloud, from what appears to be a massive explosion in the distance.

  [cut to footage of the explosion from Sacramento] 

  News Anchor : Beale Air Force base is part of the US Ballistic Missile Early Warning System, and is a very important strategic target. We're receiving several videos and photos from news agencies, indicating that something very serious has happened in California. We're expecting a statement from the Federal Emergency Management agency at any time, now.

  Kate Miller : [the evacuation of US embassy staff from Central London continues]  And we've just had a statement in from NATO Central Command; western forces have used battlefield nuclear weapons against advancing Russian troops in eastern Poland, and have also confirmed the destruction of the Russian city of Kaliningrad, which was a major military centre and submarine base. The Polish capital of Warsaw has been hit by a nuclear detonation estimated to be in the one megaton range, targeted at advanced NATO positions to the east of the city, with no casualty figures as yet from its population of 1.7 million citizens.

  [cut to footage of the Trump family being evacuated from New York] 

  Kate Miller : American B-52 long-range bombers have attacked Russian military bases in Belarus, and B-2 stealth bombers continue to approach Russian sovereign airspace. A NATO spokesman has said that efforts to contain the conflict are ongoing, and that the American and Russian presidents are in direct contact at this time. The US president has assured the American public that everything is being done to resolve the situation peacefully, and that the US government remains confident that the conflict can be contained. There are rumours that major Russian cities are being evacuated, and that a national civil defence program is underway to move citizens to underground shelters and subway systems. In Britain, the Ministry of Defence has said that it continues to monitor the situation very closely, and that all efforts are being made to ensure the safety and security of the United Kingdom.

  [B-2 Stealth Bombers are seen approaching Russian airspace] 

  Kate Miller : The Prime Minister, Theresa May, is said to be gravely concerned about the escalating crisis, but has asked the public to remain calm and to be confident that everything is being done to resolve the situation peacefully. The Archbishop of Canterbury and other senior religious leaders have asked people to come together in prayer at this time of great peril, and to have faith that goodness will prevail over the forces of destruction.

  News Anchor : [receives reports of a further two nuclear strikes against NATO forces]  And we've just had more breaking news that thermonuclear bombs of undetermined strength have exploded at NATO regional military headquarters in Brussels, and at a major US military and radar base in Wiesbaden in Germany, resulting in the reported destruction of the city of Mainz and the outskirts of Frankfurt-

  [BBC News abruptly hands over to the emergency broadcast system as Russia launches a full-scale nuclear attack against all NATO-member countries and their allies]