UK can stand up to Russia, says MOD

LONDON: The UK is “well equipped” to counter international threats, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said, despite concerns from a think tank that the army could be “outgunned” by Russia if the two countries went to war.

Defence experts Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) warned the UK currently “possesses a critical shortage of artillery”, and said the army “lacks the transportation capacity to deploy and sustain a credible divisional fires group”.

It described the UK’s ground forces as “comprehensively outgunned and out-ranged” against Russian capabilities, leaving enemy artillery “free to prosecute fire missions with impunity”.

But an MoD spokesman said: “The UK does not stand alone but alongside its Nato allies, who work closely together across air, sea, land, nuclear and cyber to deter threats and respond to crises.

“As the largest Nato defence spender in Europe, the UK’s armed forces are well equipped to take a leading role in countering threats and ensuring the safety and security of British people at home and abroad.”

Both the Conservatives and Labour have pledged to support Trident in their latest manifestos, while the Liberal Democrats said they would “maintain a minimum nuclear deterrent”.The report comes ahead of a two-day Nato summit, held in the UK next week, which US president Donald Trump is expected to attend.