An ex-military intelligence officer has warned that Britain is facing a series of sabotage attacks by Russian sleeper agents, the Sun on Sunday can reveal.

Former Army officer Col Philip Ingram said that President Vladimir Putin intends to punish the UK and other western countries for supporting Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in 2022.

He spoke out after the UK’s National Protective Security Agency (NPSA) updated its advice on the risk of sabotage attacks against the UK.

Col Ingram warned that Russian agents could launch sabotage attacks similar to those seen in other European countries, claiming they were “straight out of the Russian spy playbook.”

The ex-Army officer said water treatment plants were a prime target because an attack can have devastating consequences.

He spoke to National Security News after a German military base next to Cologne airport was sealed off  last week amid fears that Russian agents had contaminated  the barrack’s water supply.

An investigation was launched after a guard discovered a hole in the fence of the Cologne-Wahn base near the drinking water facility.

Just 24 hours earlier the NPSA warned that attacks against the UK could come at any time.

The agency said: “Sabotage may be conducted directly by members of a foreign intelligence service but could also be conducted by proxies which can include agents, co-optees or other organisations working knowingly or unwittingly on behalf of a foreign state.”

Col Ingham said sabotage is a standard tactic of the Russian GRU, the country’s military intelligence unit which has been blamed for a series of sabotage attacks and assassinations since the invasion of Ukraine.

Col Ingram said: “It is already believed they are behind a number of fires in factories and warehouses across Europe, including in Germany and the UK.

“They have a history, including the assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal in Salisbury with the nerve agent Novichok.

“The poisoning of water supplies is always something security agencies are watching for as it is easily done and can have devastating consequences but is difficult to apportion blame.

“This comes straight out of the GRU playbook and is against targets that are supporting Ukraine so there is a strong potential they are behind these attacks.

“It is probable that we will see more of them and other unconventional attacks across Europe and in the UK, increasing in frequency as Russia finds itself under greater pressure.”

Col Ingham’s comments were supported by a Home Office source who said: “We have long known that Russia presents a threat to the UK’s national security. We will continue to work with our international partners as well as our world leading police and security agencies to disrupt these threats in future.”

The Home Office said: “We do not comment on intelligence matters.”

In April five British men were charged with offences, including under the UK’s National Security Act 2023, in relation to activity intended to benefit Russia. It is alleged that one of these men conducted his activities following his engagement with an individual associated with the Wagner Group.