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  "path": "/2026/06/05/uk-entered-most-dangerous-period-decades-head-military-warns-28657351/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-05T09:12:31.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "News",
    "Politics",
    "UK",
    "BBC",
    "Russia",
    "Russia-Ukraine war",
    "Sir Keir Starmer",
    "supports HTML5\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvideo",
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    "block of flats in Romania was struck in the early hours of last Friday",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
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  "textContent": "To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvideo\n\nUp Next\n\nPrevious Page\n\nNext Page\n\nThe UK may have to make ‘different choices and different priorities’ in the face of growing threats from Russia.\n\nThat’s the warning issued by Sir Richard Knighton, the chief of defence staff.\n\nTalking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said the UK is in ‘the most dangerous period’ in decades and we need to prepare of potential ‘longer conflicts’.\n\nRussia has been in conflict with Ukraine since early 2022. Now the UK needs to prepare for ‘longer conflicts’, Sir Richard Knighton has warned (Picture: AP)\n\nHe cites Russia using cyber attacks, technology smuggling, reckless sabotage and ‘assassination attempts’ to test and challenge our defences.\n\n##  Sign up for all of the latest stories\n\nStart your day informed with Metro's **News Updates** newsletter or get **Breaking News** alerts the moment it happens.\n\nSir Richard also said the country needs to invest more in our drone capability because they’re ‘going to be increasingly important in the future of warfare’.\n\nHe said: ‘In my 35-year career, this is the most dangerous period that I have known, and as a consequence, it is important that we enhance the capability and the readiness of our armed forces alongside our allies to deter our adversaries from doing something daft.\n\nSir Richard Knighton, the UK’s chief of defence staff, said the country needs to change priorities (Picture: Getty)\n\n‘Over the last two decades we have been preparing for shorter wars and for conflicts that are confined and limited, what we need to ready ourselves for is potentially much greater, longer conflicts, as we’ve seen in Ukraine.’\n\nOn Monday, the Defence Secretary John Healy told MPs Prime Minister Keir Starmer was hoping to launch the UK’s long-await defence investment plan before the Nato summit in Turkey on July 7.\n\nRussian drones ended up on Nato’s doorstep after a block of flats in Romania was struck in the early hours of last Friday.\n\nIt sparked calls from the country’s foreign minister to trigger Article 4 – an emergency meeting between member nations.\n\nThe incident drew widespread condemnation globally, including from Sir Keir who called the attack a ‘serious violation of Nato airspace’.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "UK has entered the ‘most dangerous period’ in decades, the head of military warns"
}