Britain must 'act today' and prepare for war with Russia, warns General

Britain must 'act today' and prepare for war with Russia, warns GeneralBritain's Armed Forces have been “hollowed out”, Retired General Sir Richard Barrons has said, adding that £10 billion needs to be annually to give the UK the security it needsCommentsNewsBenjamin Lynch News Reporter23:09, 11 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesA retired British general said the UK needs an extra £10 billion a year to fund its defence(Image: Royal Navy / SWNS)One of Britain's top retired generals has warned the UK “act today” and prepare for war with Russia.‌Retired General Sir Richard Barrons said the country's Armed Forces have been “hollowed out” by cuts and can no longer rely on US support to “bail” Britain out.‌He estimates that a yearly increase of £10 billion needs to be found every year so Britain's defence can be properly funded. Sir Richard called this the “bargain of the century” if it ensures Britain never have to pay the huge costs of fighting a war.‌“The war in Iran and Russia’s aggression in Europe must be a wake up call for the entire country,” Sir Richard wrote in the Sun. “We must all unite in a national effort to beef up our defences while there is still time, otherwise it could be too late.”View 3 ImagesGeneral Sir Richard Barrons(Image: Getty Images)READ MORE: Ukraine claims Putin’s war funds are running out as Orthodox Easter ceasefire failsREAD MORE: Strait of Hormuz closed 'because Iran misplaced mines in shipping channel', claims USHe added: “Russia thinks it is already ‘at war’ with Europe. They hack us, try to meddle in our politics and even hire ‘organised crime’ to sabotage our businesses.‌Sir Richard also said the missiles that “rain down” on Ukraine could one day be pointed at Britain.He said this threat was not “imminent”, but “we need to be ready if the day ever comes”.The retired general questioned politicians who have failed to fund the military because they “see no votes on it” and that MPs need to “make the hard choice...