The British Army would be ready to engage Russian forces "tonight" if Russian President Vladimir Putin were to invade another Eastern European country, a senior UK military official declared on November 21.
The development was covered by the news outlet Politico.
Appearing before the UK House of Commons Defense Committee, Lieutenant General Rob Magowan, who serves as Deputy Chief of the British Defence Staff, was questioned about the number of British brigades that could be mobilized to NATO's eastern flank in response to a significant escalation by Russia.
“If the British Army were asked to fight tonight, it would fight tonight,” Magowan stated firmly.
“No one in this room should be under any illusions—if Russian forces invaded Eastern Europe tonight, we would be ready to meet them head-on,” he said, addressing the UK’s commitment to NATO defense obligations.
Despite Lieutenant General Magowan’s strong assurances about the readiness of the British armed forces, concerns continue to mount regarding their overall capacity, especially as tensions in Europe remain high.
Magowan admitted to Members of Parliament that the UK military operates with "a combination of operational risks and strengths" and reiterated earlier calls for enhanced "lethality" in their weaponry and capabilities, according to Politico.
His comments follow a warning from Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK and former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
Zaluzhnyi recently described the involvement of Russia’s authoritarian allies in the war against Ukraine as a signal that World War III has already begun.
