Britain faces attacks from Russia ‘daily’, minister warns ahead of Starmer’s defence review

Britain is being attacked by Russia every day, the defence secretary has warned hours before Keir Starmer unveils his plans to make the UK ready for war.

John Healey said Russia was "attacking the UK daily" in cyberspace as part of 90,000 assaults on Britain’s defence systems linked to different states.

Asked if he expected a real-world attack, he added: "We have to be prepared. Nato has to be prepared. We see Putin in Ukraine trying to redraw international boundaries by force... it's part of the growing Russian aggression."

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That was why the UK and Nato are "stepping up our ability to deter as well as to defend in the future," he added, saying “we prepare for war in order to secure the peace.”

He also appeared to confirm reports Britain wants to purchase fighter jets capable of firing tactical nuclear weapons, in a recognition the world has entered a more dangerous era, saying he would not “get into discussions that need to remain private".

But he admitted that plans to increase the size of the army would not happen until after 2029 at the earliest, as ministers scramble to halt the decline in numbers seen in recent years.

Overnight, both Mr Healey and Sir Keir warned the UK must be war-ready.

The PM described the review, which is set to be unveiled on Monday, as a “radical blueprint” that would lead to investments in cyber defences and drone technology.

“The threats we face are no secret. War in Europe. New nuclear risk,” he wrote in the Sun on Sunday.

“The Kremlin is working hand in hand with its cronies in Iran and North Korea… The Royal Navy has chased off Russian spy ships loitering in our waters. The RAF has scrambled to intercept Russian planes that menace our skies.”

He pledged to make the UK armed forces a “formidable, integrated fighting machine”, ending the “disgraceful hollowing out” which he said had happened under 14 years of Conservative rule.

“We will invest in a fighting force that is more integrated, more ready, more lethal than ever — putting Britain back where it belongs as a leader in defence and a leader in Nato”, he said.

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Mr Healey said it was time for the UK to “move to warfighting readiness to deter our adversaries” and that the measures unveiled in the review would be a “message to Moscow”.

He has already announced plans to spend £1.5 billion on at least six new munitions factories, to deliver 7,000 UK-built weapons designed to deter “adversaries like Russia”.

His warning over cyber attacks was backed by the former cabinet secretary Simon Case, who said Britons should be concerned. “I think we should,” he said, “this battle has been going on in cyberspace for a very long time … I’m afraid there is real reason for concern.”

Mr Healey also insisted that current spending plans would be enough to deliver the "vision" of transforming the armed forces to be set out in the strategic defence review (SDR).

Plans to reach 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027 and 3 per cent before 2034 were "enough to deliver the SDR's vision that sets out tomorrow, and that vision is a transformation of Britain's armed forces."

He reiterated that there was "no doubt" the government would reach 3 per cent in the next parliament.

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The strategic defence review is a "message to Moscow", he added.

"This is a message to Moscow as well. This is Britain standing behind, making our armed forces stronger but making our industrial base stronger, and this is part of our readiness to fight, if required," he told the BBC's Sunday Morning With Laura Kuenssberg programme.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick welcomed the plans to increase defence spending but said he was "sceptical" it would happen as he called on Labour to meet the 3 per cent target before the next general election in 2029.

"We think that 2034 is a long time to wait given the gravity of the situation," he told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News.

He added: "Since the general election, all I can see are broken promises from (the chancellor) Rachel Reeves.”

The review to be published on Monday is expected to warn of an "immediate and pressing" threat by Russia and draw heavily on the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine.

It is thought cyber experts will also be sent to the front line alongside regular forces in a move designed to modernise the British military.

Ministers have already announced they are to spend an additional £1.5 billion fixing up military houses amid claims years of neglect has led to troops quitting.