An extremely direct warning: Sons and daughters, prepare for war

According to him, Russian troops are now battle-hardened after nearly four years of war in Ukraine, which has increased the risk that Russia could attack Britain. He added that the “sons and daughters of the nation” must therefore be ready to fight, Sky News reports.

He also stressed that the British armed forces will always be the first line of defense, together with the NATO alliance, but that society as a whole should also prepare.

He said it is important for families to be honest about what it means to be ready for “a series of real, physical threats.”

“The sons and daughters of Great Britain must be ready”

Speaking about the “harsh reality,” the head of the UK’s Air Force said he agreed with his French counterpart, General Fabien Mandon, who said last month that France must be prepared for the possibility of losing its children in a potential war with Russia.

“Our response must go beyond simply strengthening our armed forces. What is needed is a whole-of-nation response—one that builds our defense-industrial capacity, develops the skills we will need, harnesses the power of the institutions required in wartime, and ensures and enhances the resilience of society and the infrastructure that supports it,” he added.

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He then delivered his clearest message yet: “Sons and daughters. Colleagues. Veterans… everyone will have their role to play.”

The military chief noted that this month marks 65 years since the last call-up for national service and 80 years since the end of the Second World War, pointing out that national defense and resilience—once second nature to British society until the collapse of the Soviet Union—must be restored.

The chance exists, and Russia is growing stronger

He also said that although defense analysts believe there is only a “small” chance—up to 5%—that Russia would launch a “major direct attack or invasion” against the United Kingdom, this “does not mean the chances are zero.”

“My point is that none of us can say with certainty what the absolute risk might be. What really matters is the trend. Are the chances of conflict increasing? And here, I think the evidence is clear that the trend, particularly from Russia, is deteriorating—and that is the key argument for action,” he emphasized.

He recalled that Russia’s armed forces now number more than 1.1 million troops, spend over seven percent of GDP and around 40% of state expenditure on defense—an amount that has more than doubled over the past decade.

By contrast, the British Army has just over 70,000 soldiers, and the government has pledged to increase defense spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.