UK accelerates war preparations, armed forces minister says

The United Kingdom is "rapidly developing" plans to prepare the entire country for the potential outbreak of war, according to the UK’s Armed Forces Minister, Al Carns. 

"Armies, navies and air forces respond to crises but societies, industries and economies win wars." he said, Sky News reprots.

"The shadow of war is knocking on Europe's door once more. That's the reality. We've got to be prepared to deter it."

The minister’s comments come after NATO chief Mark Rutte warned European allies that the continent must prepare for a confrontation with Russia on a scale "our grandparents and great-grandparents endured," referencing the devastating World Wars of the 20th century.

As part of its defence strategy, the UK government revealed that hostile intelligence activity, including espionage, cyberattacks, and physical threats against its military and the Ministry of Defence (MOD), has increased by more than 50% over the past year. Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are believed to be the main perpetrators behind this surge in hostile actions.

In response, the UK is launching a new Defence Counter-Intelligence Unit to bolster its ability to detect and disrupt intelligence operations from adversarial states.

By Sabina Mammadli