UK General: We are ready to fight Putin’s forces in Eastern Europe
Illustrative photo: the British army is ready for war with Russia (Getty Images)
The UK is ready to deploy its troops to fight Russian forces if Moscow invades a NATO member state on the alliance's eastern flank, stated UK Deputy Chief of Defense Staff Lieutenant General Rob Magowan, according to Politico.
Speaking to the UK House of Commons defense committee, Magowan was asked how many British brigades could be sent to NATO's eastern flank in the event of significant escalation by Russia.
In response, the Lieutenant General assured that if the UK were asked to fight tonight, it would be ready to do so.
"I don't think anybody in this room should be under any illusion that if the Russians invaded Eastern Europe tonight, then we would meet them in that fight," said Magowan.
He clarified that the UK Armed Forces face "a range of operational risks and operational strengths."
State of the British army
Politico highlighted that the size of the British Army is "at its smallest size since the 1700s".
Last month, UK Defense Secretary John Healey stated that the condition of the armed forces was “far worse than we thought” following the Labour Party's victory in the election.
Meanwhile, on November 20, it was reported that the UK government decided to decommission military ships, drones, and helicopters. The British opposition criticized the move, arguing it could weaken national security.
