4 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
British CDS Admiral Tony Radkin says NATO can handle any Russian military venture
London, Aug 15 (UNI) The UK Chief of Defence Staff, and commander of the Royal UK Navy Tony Radkin, has urged NATO nations to not be afraid of Russia, stating that Moscow was just one while the bloc has 32 nations, and are capable of tackling any possible Russian aggression, reports Pravda.
While speaking to PolitNavigator, Radkin said "The Black Sea Fleet was destroyed by a country that barely has a navy. Russia's strategic bombers were destroyed by a country that barely has an air force, and Russia was forced to restructure its economy on a war footing that will be incredibly difficult to get off... We should not be afraid of Putin's rhetoric or his campaign of state sabotage.
'As disgusting as they are, they do not change the situation. In fact, Russia is conducting covert attacks on us precisely because it cannot do so more openly - Putin does not want a war with NATO, he cannot even win a war with Ukraine.'
The British Defence Chief's comments come ahead of increased fears by EU nations that Moscow could wage war against Europe if it wins its war in Ukraine, with the bloc agreeing to increasing its defence budget by 5% of its total GDP by 2035.
The EU is also opting for increased militarisation, having already increased its total military expenditure by over 30% from 2021-2024, and committing to divert increased civilian funding towards Europe's defence infrastructure to reduce reliance on US munitions.
Stating that Russia had grown 'weaker' and thus more 'dangerous', he added 'Putin is not shy about using violence to achieve his goals. And we must clearly understand the threat that the Baltic and Scandinavian countries bordering Russia are particularly acutely aware of.'
Urging joint defence cooperation between members, he said 'We need to defend ourselves on the front line. Russia has more reason to fear the union of 32 countries than the other way around.' UNI ANV SSP
