UK can’t fight prolonged war with Russia - BBC
British Army (Photo: Getty Images)
Analysts note that the UK is not prepared for a prolonged war, and European factories would need several years to reach the level of mass weapons production seen in Russia, according to a BBC report.
RUSI (Royal United Services Institute) expert Hamish Mandell emphasized that there is no certainty that the UK could conduct combat operations for more than a few weeks in the event of a major escalation in Europe.
According to him, medical capabilities are limited, the process of replenishing reserves is quite slow, and the existing plan for dealing with mass casualties appears to assume that there will be no significant losses.
Infrastructure vulnerability
Modern technological societies are heavily dependent on networks of underwater cables and pipelines that connect the UK to the rest of the world, transmitting data, financial transactions, and energy.
Experts point out that the secret activities of Russian spy ships, such as the Yantar, may have been aimed at locating these cables for potential sabotage, highlighting a vulnerability for the UK in terms of regional defense.
In response, the Royal Navy has invested in underwater drones equipped with built-in sensors, and work in this area is ongoing.
Europe’s production capabilities
At the same time, Western European factories will need several years to approach the level of mass weapons production that Russia currently possesses. Russia has effectively ramped up production over the past few years, which already poses a threat to Europe.
Analysts believe that without significant investment and an increase in manufacturing capacity, Europe will not be able to quickly offset Russia’s strategic advantage in weaponry. As a result, the chances of seizing military initiative in the event of a Russian attack on the Baltics - or NATO in general - would be very low.
The UK has imposed sanctions on seven Russian individuals and entities, including the ideologue of the Russian world, Alexander Dugin, and the geopolitical think tank he founded, the Center for Geopolitical Expertise, as well as on propaganda resources Euromore, Golos, the Telegram channel Rybar, and its founder, Mykhailo Zvinchuk.
Notably, the Commander of the British Royal Navy, First Sea Lord Gwyn Jenkins, warned that the UK is close to losing control of the Atlantic Ocean to Russia for the first time since the end of World War II.
