BRITAIN’S top general has told every soldier to prepare to fight Russia in a potential World War Three.
Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, the new Army commander, said that Vladimir Putin’s bloodbath assault on Ukraine had rocked the foundations of global security.
He vowed to forge an Army that can beat Russia in battle.
And he warned brave British troops that they must now prepare “to fight in Europe once again”.
In a rousing first message to every serving soldier, he said the world had changed since the Russian dictator had invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Gen Sanders started in his new role last Monday — and in his fourth day in the job, wrote: “There is now a burning imperative to forge an Army capable of fighting alongside our allies and defeating Russia in battle.”
In a chilling reference to World War Two, he added: “We are the generation that must prepare the Army to fight in Europe once again.”
As Chief of the General Staff, he will lead the smallest army for 300 years after the Government cut the force to 73,000 troops — roughly the size of America’s special forces.
The Army is also losing some 800 armoured vehicles and 80 Challenger 2 tanks despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s 2019 pledge “not to cut our armed forces in any form”.
