There is a growing risk Russia could attack the UK, and Britain’s armed forces chief Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton warned that the nation’s sons and daughters must be ready to fight as Russia’s military strength has grown after years of war in Ukraine.
He said the armed forces, alongside NATO, would be the first line of defence, but stressed that society as a whole must help rebuild national resilience and preparedness for real physical threats.
Describing the situation as more dangerous than at any point in his career, Knighton said the price of peace is rising and agreed with French warnings that countries must be prepared for the human cost of a potential conflict. He argued that defence must go beyond the military to include a whole-nation effort that expands industrial capacity, skills, institutions and the resilience of critical infrastructure.
While analysts judge the chance of a direct Russian attack on the UK to be remote, he cautioned that the risk is not zero and that the overall trend of conflict, particularly from Russia, is worsening. Knighton said Russia’s hard power is rapidly increasing, with more than 1.1 million troops, sharply higher defence spending and increasingly sophisticated, combat-experienced forces and weapons.
He claimed that Russia seeks to challenge and divide NATO, pointing to higher defence spending and renewed national service in European allies as signs that the UK must act with greater urgency.
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