Boris Johnson, meanwhile, called on Western allies to prepare for a long war in Ukraine.
Britain’s challenge is to create an army capable of defeating Russia on the battlefield, General Patrick Sanders, the country’s new head of General Staff, wrote the Independent newspaper on Sunday, June 19th.
“Now it is necessary to create an army that can fight alongside our allies and defeat Russia in battle,” Sanders wrote to his subordinates after he replaced General Mark Carlton Smith as head of the British General Staff last week. .
According to Sanders, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine featured the main objective of the British army – “to protect the UK by being prepared to fight and win wars on the ground.”
“We are the generation that must re -prepare the army for war in Europe,” he added.
Sanders recalled that he was the first Chief of Staff since 1941 to lead an army against the backdrop of a war in Europe involving a continental power.
In 2021, the London government published plans to reduce the regular army, reducing the target force from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025, The Independent notes. At the time, the British regular army consisted of about 76,500 soldiers, the newspaper wrote.
Prime Minister Johnson urges to prepare for a long war
On the eve of the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson published an article in the Sunday Times newspaper, in which he said that “Putin’s grand imperial plan for the complete conquest of Ukraine has failed.”
“Alas, Putin’s failures do not mean that he has the wisdom to retreat. In his isolation, he still thinks that total conquest is possible. I am afraid that we will have to prepare for a long war while Putin is using the campaign. of attrition in an attempt to brutally wipe Ukraine off the face of the earth, ”Johnson wrote.
According to him, the outcome of the war depends on whether Ukraine can strengthen its defense faster than Russia can develop its capacity to attack.
Johnson on four steps to help Ukraine
The British prime minister also listed four steps the allies should take to help Ukraine end the war on Kyiv terms. First, Johnson wrote, it was necessary to transfer new weapons to Ukraine faster than Russia could develop its capabilities.
This also applies to the training of Ukrainian soldiers. Britain and its allies plan to train up to 10,000 soldiers every 120 days, Johnson said.
The second point is financial assistance to Kyiv, designed to “preserve the viability of the Ukrainian state.” Funds must be transferred to pay salaries, manage institutions and start rebuilding the country’s infrastructure, the head of the British government is sure.
Third, it is necessary to establish alternative routes for Ukrainian exports instead of ports blocked by Russia in the Black Sea. Fourth, the Allies must achieve the unblocking of these ports.
“All of this will require a certain effort on the part of the UK and our allies that will take months and years,” Johnson concludes.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.