UK Armed Forces Chief Warns Of Russian Threat, Tells Britain’s ‘Sons And Daughters’ To ‘Get Ready’

Last Updated:December 16, 2025, 12:04 IST

The head of Britain’s armed forces, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, said the nation’s “sons and daughters” need to be ready to fight.

General Sir Charles Roland Walker (2L) and Sir Richard Knighton (R) lay wreaths during the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in central London. (IMAGE: AFP)

The head of Britain’s armed forces, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, on Monday warned that the nation’s “sons and daughters" must be ready to fight, citing a growing risk that Russia could attack the UK.

Delivering what UK-based broadcaster Sky News described as a sombre reality check, Knighton said the security environment facing Britain was more dangerous than at any point in his career.

“The situation is more dangerous than I have known during my career, and the price of peace is rising. Sons and daughters. Colleagues. Veterans… will all have a role to play. To build. To serve. And if necessary, to fight. And more families will know what sacrifice for our nation means," he said.

Knighton said he agreed with his French counterpart, General Fabien Mandon, who last month issued a similarly blunt warning to French citizens about the risks of a potential conflict with Russia.

A report by the broadcaster noted that large sections of the UK population no longer have direct experience of the armed forces, following the prolonged period of peace that began after the end of the Cold War nearly three and a half decades ago.

Knighton highlighted that it has been 65 years since the UK last carried out national service call-ups and 80 years since the end of the Second World War.

He also warned that Russia’s military strength is increasing and said it was a development that should not be underestimated, pointing out that Russian troops are now battle-hardened after nearly four years of full-scale war in Ukraine.

While stressing that the UK’s armed forces would remain the first line of defence alongside NATO allies, Knighton said society as a whole must play a role in rebuilding national resilience.

He said it was important to be honest with “families and households" across the UK about what it means to be prepared for “an array of real, physical threats".

Knighton acknowledged that defence analysts currently assess the probability of Russia launching a significant direct attack or invasion of the UK as low, estimating the risk at around five percent. However, he warned that a low probability did not mean the threat could be ignored, adding that the chances were “not zero".

News world UK Armed Forces Chief Warns Of Russian Threat, Tells Britain’s ‘Sons And Daughters’ To ‘Get Ready’

Read More