Armed Forces chief: Need to remain united against Putin's 'deeply irresponsible' nuclear rhetoric
Britain's head of the Armed Forces has given a warning about what is at stake following the Russian invasion of Ukraine during a speech at Mansion House.
The Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin addressed the "very serious times" the UK is facing in a speech at the Lord Mayor of London's Annual Defence and Security Lecture, but believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has few options left".."hence the nuclear rhetoric".
He added: "While this is worrying and deeply irresponsible, it is a sign of weakness, which is precisely why the international community needs to remain strong and united."
"Even China is losing patience"
The head of the Armed Forces says Putin "made a strategic miscalculation by invading Ukraine", and highlighted that "the truism is more accurate than normal, that strategic errors lead to strategic consequences".
"Eight months on, Putin's problems are mounting," CDS Radakin said. "He's undermined Russia's status as a great power, mortgaged his country's economic future, repelled its neighbours in the 'near abroad' and even China is losing patience.
"Meanwhile, his troops are ceding ground, running out of ammunition, and winter is coming.
"And while handing call-out papers to political dissidents and protesters may be a ruthless way of dealing with opposition to his regime, it is a hopeless way to build an Army."
Watch: Russia's conscripts will return to families 'in a body bag', expert says.
"War-fit" Armed Forces
CDS Radakin stressed that "even with a war in Europe", the role of the UK's Armed Forces "is more than just focusing on defending the nation".
"It is about a maximalist approach to the military instrument", he said.
"Using our power and influence in all its guises: both to further our security and prosperity. But especially – when we get it right – to add to the agency and authority of the British Government and the nation."
He added that he was "immensely proud" of the Armed Forces' role in supporting Ukraine, and "proud that we were the first European nation to provide lethal aid".
The head of the Armed Forces highlighted that it was "really significant" that the Government has committed to increasing defence spending further, even with a tough economic outlook".
"We need Armed Forces that are match fit, or more to-the-point, 'war-fit', to meet the demands of state-on-state competition, better supported by more resilient supply chains and a greater capacity in our industrial base.
"We need to be more agile. Bolder and braver in embracing technology and doing that much, much faster.
"We may need to temper our tendency for bespoke procurements and constant commercial competition when we could simply go shopping instead. Why not choose what is available on the market today especially if it means we can get the capability sooner?
"And while the threat posed by Russia is a generational challenge, we don't have the luxury of a simple choice over whether to double down on the security of the Euro-Atlantic."
Watch: UK sending world's most advanced air defence missile to support Ukraine.
UK should be "supremely confident" about the NATO alliance
CDS Radakin recognised that "the speed and scale of Russia's aggression" have changed since last year's Integrated Review.
He highlighted that the central elements which have been "borne out by recent events are the shift from an era of counter-terrorism operations to one of state-based competition, the acknowledgement of Russia as the "most acute threat" to the UK as well as the centrality of nuclear deterrence and collective security".
The defence chief recognised that "our broader security needs to also embrace health and climate change". And that the UK "need to embrace security for prosperity and prosperity for security."
He added: "But we should nonetheless be supremely confident about our alliance with NATO: an alliance with more than three million people under arms, and with a combined GDP of $15 trillion compared to just $1.7bn for Russia.
"Even without the United States, the European members of NATO spend 3-4 times more on defence than Russia."
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