UK military chief warns Britain falling behind on Russian threat

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 8 Nov, 12:20 · Archive

Britain's most senior military officer said it is the most dangerous period he has known in his adult life.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the UK's chief of the defence staff, warned that Britain is falling behind its European allies in confronting Russia. He told the Financial Times that the UK needs to 'catch up with our European allies' who are more alert to the Kremlin's appetite for risk. Knighton said this is the most dangerous period he has known in his adult life, with the threat 'principally from Russia, but more broadly globally' rising.

Knighton assessed that Moscow is increasingly tolerant to risk and that the term 'hybrid activity' no longer captures the scale of Russia's alleged disruptions. He listed 'targeted assassinations', 'sabotage' and 'cyber attacks' as examples of 'very real' actions by the Russian state that Europe and to some extent the UK have proof of. European security officials are investigating whether recent bomb threats against European airlines and news organisations originated in Russia, though attribution has not yet been made.

Knighton said the British state will need to explain the Russian threat to the public while justifying increased defence spending.

How it is being reported

• UK military chief says Russia threat is ‘most dangerous period he’s known’Sir Richard Knighton made a series of warnings about the threat from Russia over the weekend (Picture: Jeff Overs/BBC/Press Association) The UK is falling behind its allies in preparing for the threat posed by Russia , the head of the British military has warned. Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard…Metro · 8 Nov, 12:42
• UK military chief issues stark warning over Russian threatBritain’s most senior military officer said it was the most dangerous period he has witnessed in his adult lifeIndependent World · 8 Nov, 11:00
• UK must ‘catch up’ with Europe in opposing Russian threat, says military chiefSir Richard Knighton promises further action to counter Moscow’s submarines in the north AtlanticFinancial Times · 8 Nov, 05:00

In this story: Sir Richard Knighton · Russia · UK · Europe

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