Key facts
- UK government is preparing for severe disruption and encouraging citizens to stockpile food and water.
- Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Richard Knighton described the current period as the most dangerous of his 35-year career due to Russian threats.
- Historian Margaret MacMillan stated that modern warfare threats include cyber attacks and disruption of undersea cables.
- Professor Andrew Michta believes the UK and other European nations are psychologically unprepared for war.
- Sweden has become one of Europe's most psychologically prepared countries after abandoning neutrality and implementing conscription.
- Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Christersson stated Russia is "self-evidently dangerous".
The UK government is initiating preparations for potential wartime disruption, urging citizens to stockpile essential supplies and enhance civic resilience. This comes as the nation's top military official, Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Richard Knighton, has warned that the threat from Russia makes the current period the most dangerous of his 35-year career.
Historians and military experts suggest that decades of relative peace have led to a societal "crisis of disbelief" regarding the possibility of war on European soil. Margaret MacMillan, author of "War: How Conflict Shaped Us," highlighted that modern threats extend beyond conventional invasion to include cyber warfare and the disruption of critical infrastructure like undersea cables. She noted that the public has become accustomed to peace as the norm, making the concept of war seem far-fetched.
Retired British General Sir Richard Shirreff drew parallels between the current atmosphere and the Edwardian summers preceding World War I, where war was discussed but not widely believed to be imminent. He argued that Russia has viewed itself as being in conflict with NATO since 2014, seeking to undermine Western alliances through various means, including potential indirect actions.
Andrew Michta, a professor of strategic studies, contends that European nations, including the UK, have significantly reduced their military capabilities and, more importantly, their psychological readiness. He criticized political elites for not being candid with the public about the gravity of the threats, citing Germany's past reliance on Russian energy and a general trend of "appeasement" driven by a reluctance to confront changing geopolitical realities.