Downing Street has been forced to rule out conscription after the head of the Army warned that British civilians would need to fight Russia in a future war.
Gen Sir Patrick Sanders said the UK needed a military that could not only expand rapidly but also “train and equip” a citizen army, in a speech first reported by this newspaper.
In his address to the International Armoured Vehicles conference in Twickenham on Wednesday, Gen Sir Patrick stressed that the Army, which is predicted to have just 72,500 fully trained soldiers by 2025, would not be big enough to fight an all-out war with Russia even if it numbered 120,000.
Defence sources previously told The Telegraph that Gen Sir Patrick wants there to be a shift in the mindset of British men and women, in which they think like troops and are mentally prepared for a possible war with Russia. » | Danielle Sheridan, Defence Editor | Thursday, January 25, 2024
War with Russia is coming. Britain is determined to lose:
‘No Time to Go Wobbly’: Why Britain Is Lobbying U.S. Republicans on Ukraine: The U.K., often a wingman to the United States in defense, is pushing its ally to stand firm against President Vladimir V. Putin, amid fears that Russia poses an existential threat to Europe. »
