Der Chef des Verteidigungsstabs sagt, Russland wolle ein Nato-Land angreifen

Britain should prepare for the increasing probability that [Russia](https://inews.co.uk/topic/russia?ico=in-line_link) will attack a [Nato](https://inews.co.uk/topic/nato?ico=in-line_link) country in the near future, the head of the UK Armed Forces is to warn.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the Chief of the Defence Staff, will issue a rallying cry to all parts of society to adopt an “all-in” mentality, which will make the UK more resilient to both conventional and [grey zone attacks](https://inews.co.uk/news/four-reasons-why-uk-already-war-russia-4105270?srsltid=AfmBOopcqdsRRf-fH9rsDpSUmGz73ao7Uv-lHnJV8jL0D6rCUJXhVcBm&ico=in-line_link) like cyber warfare from Moscow and other hostile states.

He will say “our whole nation” needs to step up to ensure Britain can continue to function in a crisis, adding that the “price of peace is increasing”.

The defence chief will make the warning as an emergency summit takes place in Berlin to try to persuade the Trump administration to offer security guarantees to [Ukraine](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/four-main-flashpoints-ukraine-talks-make-break-moment-4101931?srsltid=AfmBOoprdzimy3Jlje9z4FxWmxERFuCPioXMI30cIgkUMCA4-_aOezJn&ico=in-line_link) as part of a peace deal with Russia.

[Volodymyr Zelensky](https://inews.co.uk/topic/volodymyr-zelensky?ico=in-line_link) said on Sunday that a new European and Kyiv-backed version of the US peace plan would include measures to prevent a repeat of Russia’s seizure of Crimea and full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Knighton’s comments, at the annual lecture for the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) on Monday, are the latest from a senior political or military figure to warn of a serious threat from full military conflict with Russia.

Last week [Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/world-ready-war-tensions-rise-russia-europe-4102251?srsltid=AfmBOoocMCOhafYK8his7IHUIPTt7CFfih0hsM-x2A6-r-QX81IQ-ykJ&ico=in-line_link) said European allies had to “be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured”, while UK Armed Forces minister Al Carns [warned that “the shadow of war is knocking on Europe’s door once more”](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/inside-uk-spy-centre-fighting-russia-cranks-attacks-4103849?srsltid=AfmBOopiRjPRWshQnEonadQmNNJOc8UlwRUB7voh_fgQxqhWviNNLT7L&ico=in-line_link).

Their remarks followed the [US downgrading Russia as a national security threat](https://inews.co.uk/opinion/us-potent-threat-europe-no-one-alive-this-4102012?ico=in-line_link), which sent alarm bells ringing in European capitals.

In his first annual lecture at Rusi, Knighton will say that preparing for war means making the NHS, rail network and other critical infrastructure more resilient to cyber and grey zone attacks as well as boosting defence spending for military hardware and personnel.

He will say there is now an increasing probability that Russia wants to invade a Nato country, including the UK.

Knighton will say: “The war in Ukraine shows Putin’s willingness to target neighbouring states, including their civilian populations, potentially with such novel and destructive weapons, threatens the whole of Nato, including the UK.

“The Russian leadership has made clear that it wishes to challenge, limit, divide and ultimately destroy Nato, in former president [Dmitry] Medvedev’s words, aspiring to ‘the disappearance of Ukraine and the disappearance of Nato – preferably both’.

They and what army?