London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

UK defence chief says he wants to beat Russia & China ‘at their own game’ with focus on ‘сyber escalation’ below war threshold

UK defence chief says he wants to beat Russia & China ‘at their own game’ with focus on ‘сyber escalation’ below war threshold

The UK needs to “beat” Russia and China “at their own game”, General Sir Nick Carter, Britain’s defence chief, told the Times newspaper after outlining an ‘up-to-date’ strategy that appears to be rooted in Cold War mentality.
Cyber attacks, asymmetric conflicts and digital surveillance – the list of “threats” and “challenges” posed to the UK and its allies by an assertive Russia and China appears to be long, at least in the mind of the British top brass. General Sir Nick Carter defined Moscow as an “acute threat” and called China a “chronic challenge” in an interview with the Times.

The general believes the UK needs a brand-new strategy if it hopes to meet this perceived challenge posed by the two powers that supposedly view the world as a “no-holds-barred continuous struggle,” as the Times put it.

“The way to win is to beat them at their own game, and that means beating them below the threshold of war,” Carter said, doubling down on the strategy he outlined during the annual Chief of the Defence Staff Lecture on Thursday.

The strategy calls on the British military to “think in several dimensions,” Carter said, elaborating that this means “escalating in the cyber dimension while toning down our posture in the air or maritime dimension, while messaging a tone of reduced aggression in the information dimension.”

At the same time, the general did not discount traditional warfare, saying that the British military should resort to “all of the instruments of statecraft” at its disposal, including ideology, trade policy and military power in order to win the “competition below the threshold of war” – a preferred scenario, by all appearances.

During his speech on Thursday, the general singled out China and Russia, devoting a large chunk of his lengthy address to how the two powerhouses should be deterred. Speaking about the Russian “threat” in particular, Parker argued the UK should not stay idle in case of a potential standoff, saying this still requires “conventional hard power – warships and aircraft” in addition to “less conventional capabilities like cyber.”

The list of suggestions tabled by the general also included some strategic exercises for decision-makers aimed at supposedly getting them used to making “hard choices” – something London’s allies across the pond appeared to have been practising for a while.

It was revealed earlier this year that a US drill involving former Defense Secretary Mark Esper featured a scenario of America nuking Russia – an idea that sparked concerns in Moscow. Speaking to the Times, Carter gave the drills involving “the nuclear button” a passing mention as well, only for his aide to assure the reporter that no references to modern politics were intended.

Still, this strategy portraying rivals of the UK – and the West, for that matter – as powers seeking perpetual struggle seems to be pretty much rooted in good old Cold War tropes. Carter himself admitted that Britain and its allies need a “new Long Telegram” – a reference to the USSR deterrence strategy suggested by the US diplomat George Kennan back in 1946.

There, Kennan also described the Soviet Union as seeking perpetual war with capitalist nations, while calling for the containment of Moscow and the creation of “spheres of influence.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
×