Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, chief of the United Kingdom (UK) Defense Staff, said on Sunday that Britain must prepare for the possibility of a Russian attack.
He said this in a speech at the Royal United Services Institute in Westminster, London, saying that the Russian military is becoming stronger and more experienced after almost four years of war in Ukraine.
Speaking about the security landscape, Knighton said Russian forces are now battle-hardened after almost four years of large-scale war, adding that the UK must be honest with the public about what being prepared could mean.
He mentioned that the UK armed forces would remain the first line of defense alongside NATO allies, but that the whole of society must also play a role in rebuilding resilience.
According to Sky News, he also mentioned that it is essential to be transparent with “families and households” across the country about preparing for “a number of real physical threats.”
Air Chief Marshal Knighton said he agreed with comments made last month by France’s defense chief, General Fabien Mandon, who warned that France must be prepared for the possibility of losing its children in a future conflict with Russia.
“The situation is more dangerous than I have known in my career and the price of peace is rising,” the British defense chief said.
“Our response must go beyond simply strengthening our armed forces. It needs a whole-of-nation response that strengthens our defense industrial capacity, increases the skills we need, harnesses the power of the institutions we will need in times of war, and ensures and increases the resilience of society and the infrastructure that supports it.”
He continued: “Sons and daughters. Colleagues. Veterans… everyone will have a role to play. Build. Serve. And if necessary, fight. And more families will know what sacrifice for our nation means.”
He noted that many people in the UK no longer have direct experience of the armed forces, after decades of relative peace since the end of the Cold War. He noted that 65 years have passed since the last call for national service and 80 years since the end of World War II.
While defense analysts assess the likelihood of a direct Russian attack on the UK as low, he said the risk cannot be ruled out.
He said: “My point is that none of us can say with certainty what the absolute risk might be. And while simple binary statements may be easy for people to use, they risk instilling panic or complacency.
“What really matters is the trend. Are the chances of conflict increasing?
“And here I think the evidence is clear that the trend, particularly from Russia, is getting worse, and that is the key argument for action.”
Despite being paralyzed by the war in Ukraine, he said Russia’s military capabilities continue to grow. He pointed to long-term defense investments and reforms that have expanded the size of his forces and dramatically increased military spending.
By contrast, the UK military, according to Sky News, has just over 70,000 soldiers and the government plans to increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.
(Heaven News)