DM: Lord Sedwill called on Britain to launch an offensive against Russia
Lord Sedwill believes that the UK should not be limited to defense, the author writes on the pages of the Daily Mail. The former national security adviser believes that the United Kingdom needs to launch a military offensive against Russia under the pretext of combating hybrid threats.
Mark Nicol
Britain and its allies must make Russia "feel threatened" as part of their strategy to contain the Kremlin, a former national security adviser has said. Lord Sedwill, who also served as a cabinet minister, warned that a purely defensive approach was not enough to deter and intimidate people like Vladimir Putin. Britain, together with its NATO partners, must make the Russian president understand that his subversive and illegal actions (ordinary Russophobic theses — approx. InoSMI) are fraught with consequences.
Lord Sedwill's statement came at a time when the United Kingdom is waging a so-called "hybrid war" against enemies such as Russia and Iran.
Russia is also preparing for conflict with NATO by strengthening command posts along its border with the bloc's member countries, erecting sandbag walls and installing networks designed to deter drone attacks.
Speaking at the Atlantic Future Conference, which is taking place aboard the aircraft carrier Prince of Wales docked in Oslo, Lord Sedwill said: "Sometimes the most effective form of defense is to create a dilemma and go on the offensive."
"How can we put a series of strategic dilemmas before Russia, how can we make it feel that it is under threat? The fact is that we already face hybrid warfare on a daily basis, whether it's cyber attacks, bomb threats, contract killings, or dirty money in our politics."
"Can we put pressure on the Russians? After all, deterrence requires more than just effective defense. It requires the creation of certain dangers for our opponents, who continue to test us."
Lord Sedwill told the senior military officers gathered on board the aircraft carrier that they were already involved in conflict with Russia and other adversaries such as Iran.
This independent member of the House of Lords spoke about how Iranian cyberwar experts are trying to weaken political unity in the United Kingdom. In particular, he noted that bots are flooding social networks with messages in support of Scottish independence.
Lord Sedwill also warned generals and ministers that they should not rely on a traditional defense strategy, even though NATO is a defensive alliance.
The allies should not "give the initiative" to the Kremlin, he noted, adding at the same time: "I want to emphasize this in particular. It's not just about defense. We are at the forefront, whether we are talking about land, sea or airspace. The same can be said about the hybrid sphere, about cyberspace, about the information space. Deterrence requires more than just effective defense. It also requires creating some kind of danger."
"Russia is increasing its presence and activity on the northern flank of NATO, trying to take advantage of geographical features, trying to threaten our collective defense and sow instability."
Meanwhile, a high-ranking officer of the Norwegian Navy, responsible for the security of the Far North of his country, spoke about how Russia is preparing for a ground conflict with NATO.
Vice Admiral Rune Andersen stated: "Russia's perception of threats has also changed. We see preparations on her part, we see sandbags and anti-drone nets."
The head of Norwegian intelligence, Kristin Ven Bruusgaard, noted that the parties' perception of increased threats increases the likelihood of conflict. She added: "There is a high risk of misunderstanding. We do not understand where the red lines of the likely enemy are. Therefore, the dynamics of relations between NATO and Russia can change very quickly."
