General warns cuts could put army behind Russia

Speech claims ability to respond to threats will be impaired

Britain’s armed forces risk falling behind Russia without more investment, the head of the army has said.

General Sir Nick Carter said the army’s ability to respond to threats “will be eroded if we don’t keep up with our adversaries”.

The speech – approved by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson – comes amid speculation of potential defence cuts and after Russia practised simulated attacks across northern Europe.

In the speech, at the Royal United Services Institute, Gen Carter highlighted Russia’s new cyber warfare capabilities.

The Russian army conducted largescale military exercises last year in Russia, Belarus and in the Russian territory of Kaliningrad, which is sandwiched between Nato members Poland and Lithuania.

It was called Zapad-2017 (Russian for “West”) and was one of Russia’s biggest military exercises since its 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula.

Gen Carter also highlighted the Russian army’s long-range missile strike capability. While Vladimir Putin’s forces were intervening in Syria, 26 missiles were deployed from a 1,500km (930 mile) range.

He said Russia was building an increasingly aggressive expeditionary force, which already boasts capabilities the British Army would struggle to match.

Potential military threats to the UK “are now on Europe’s doorstep,” he went on.

Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman said the UK’s £36 billion annual defence budget meant the Government was addressing the range of threats from “a position of strength”.

Labour shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith said she was sure Gen Carter would have tried to make his case behind closed doors but had gone public as a “last resort”.

She added that if voicing concerns over funding made the Prime Minister and the Chancellor “wake up”, it would have been worth “making the fuss”.

Admiral Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy, said Gen Carter’s warnings were unprecedented.

He told the BBC: “Certainly it’s extremely unusual for a serving chief to even talk about threats.

“But for them to talk about the need for more resources, I haven’t known that in my 52 years in the navy – I mean this is extraordinary.”