Army chief: Russia is No 1 threat to UK

The new Army chief has warned that Russia is now a greater threat to British security than Islamic extremist groups.

General Mark Carleton-smith, 54, was speaking in his first interview since being appointed as the Chief of the General Staff.

He said Russia is now “indisputably” a bigger threat than groups such as al-qaeda and the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).

In addition to posing a military threat, he said the Russians are always seeking new ways to damage the West by developing new capabilities in different types of warfare such as cyber security and space capabilities.

He said: “It’s vital that Britain and its allies are not complacent about the threat that Russia poses.

“Russia today indisputably represents a far greater threat to our national security that Islamic extremist threats such as al-qaeda and Isil.

“Russia has demonstrated that it is prepared to use military force to secure and expand its own national interests.

“The Russians seek to exploit vulnerability and weakness wherever they detect it.”

With the defeat of Isil in Iraq and Syria and losses for al-qaeda in Afghanistan he believes the greatest threat to British security has changed.

He says the focus of attention should be on Russia, particularly after the Salisbury Novichok attack earlier this year.