Tri-Service
Britain Risks Misunderstanding Russian Actions, Report Says
The NATO Summit in Warsaw is days away and one topic due to dominate the proceedings is recent Russian aggression in Eastern Europe.
The Defence Select Committee's report says that relations are at an all-time low.
Russia's recent annexation of Crimea and invasion of Eastern Ukraine is, the report says, the biggest challenge to post-Cold War stability.
But the fact that it took many by surprise has prompted questions about how well NATO understands Russian policy or Putin's intentions.
The report is critical of Britain, saying that our understanding and expertise over Russia have both "withered on the vine".
It recommends that the UK boost its number of Russian specialists.
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A forthright dialogue with Russia is necessary, it says, lest we risk blundering into conflict with the country.
Russian aircraft and ships have made incursions into British coastal and airspace, and these actions could be misread or mishandled if understanding doesn't improve, it added.
If NATO had to respond to Russia militarily, Russia could, its believed, mobilise 13,000 troops in 48 hours.
For its part, Britain is due to lead NATO's Joint Readiness Task Force next year.
It's been suggested, however, that there could be opportunities for co-operation with Russia in the fight against Daesh.
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