Senior UK military officials rare admission: Russia's military power is no longer what it used to be, forcing the UK to cut exercise budgets
General Richard Knighton, Chief of the Defence Staff and Air Chief Marshal, made assessments on Russia's military potential and current security threats during an interview with Sky News. He confirmed that, in order to save budget, the UK has canceled some military exercises and called for increased defense spending.
The Chief of the Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces, Air Chief Marshal Richard Knighton, said that Russia’s military strength has significantly increased in recent years.
During his interview with Sky News Television, he stated: "From a military perspective, Russia is now stronger than it has been for a long period of time." Knighton believes the global security situation is "becoming increasingly dangerous," which demands greater defense spending from the UK.
Furthermore, this military official confirmed earlier media reports that the UK Ministry of Defence had canceled certain exercises to save budget. He noted: "We initially drafted some plans before we had full details of the budget. After the budget was announced, we adjusted our plans to align with budget requirements."
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the United Russia Party Congress in June, stated that many pivotal events have occurred over the past quarter-century, but most importantly, people's unity and their desire to revive the nation and strengthen its power have been consolidated. The head of state emphasized that Russia can only exist as a strong, independent country—otherwise, it would cease to be.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1876534101850115/
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