Ex-MI6 chief says Britain must 'prepare for war' as he issues warning over what Russia will do next

The former chief of MI6 has warned Brits to expect the worst regarding Russia's next move.

The harrowing news follows horrifying urges from the European Union to prepare a '72-hour survival kit' as tensions in Europe continue to grow.

While the UK has also been advised to follow suit, Sir Alex Younger has shared his worries regarding the British military, highlighting the need to 'prepare for war' as Russia's approach doesn't look to be changing any time soon.

While President Trump admitted that some of Putin's recent comments 'p***ed him off', the UK has stayed firm in pushing for a ceasefire on Ukraine, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying that Putin can't 'play games', adding that the Russian leader is 'not serious' about peace based on his actions.

Putin has been criticised by many world leaders for his handling of the war with Ukraine (GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Speaking to The Independent, Younger said that the UK must rearm and rebuild its military-industrial base, explaining: “We have disarmed militarily, self-evidently... We’ve largely dismantled our military and industrial base, which is a big problem.”

Younger went on to highlight that a lot of Brits aren't aware of the importance of national defence, adding: “I think we’re more comfortable thinking about the army as like the England football team; they go and do their thing over there and we watch it on telly – and that can’t happen anymore.”

He went on to suggest that a broader reserve integration, or former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's idea of national service, might be necessary to change the public's perception.

He went on: “This is probably more about a more creative and broader conception of what the reserves is,” explaining that defence being a part of everyday life would bring 'broader benefits'.

Younger's points were further backed up by former US defence envoy to NATO, now Director General of the Royal United Services Institute, Dr Rachel Ellehuus, who explained that Russia are looking to effectively remap Europe.

Starmer has actively spoken out against Putin's decision-making with the war in Ukraine (Eddie Mulholland-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

“Am I saying (Putin) is going to invade the Baltic states or Poland tomorrow? I’m not,” she said, adding that he would push the boundaries 'of what we call Article 5'.

"He’s already been pushing the boundaries of that through below-the-threshold activities that aren’t conventional attacks." Dr Ellehuus continued.

This follows a statement from the EU, who said that due to 'growing geopolitical tensions and conflicts, hybrid and cybersecurity threats', the various challenges 'cannot be ignored', and that residents should prepare a survival kit.

President Ursula von der Leyen stated that 'our citizens, our Member States, and our businesses need the right tools to act both to prevent crises and to react swiftly when a disaster hits'.

It was reported by The Daily Mail that the Yantar, a Russian spy ship, was seen in British waters, which could lead to the sabotage of gas pipelines and undersea cables.

This could lead to mass blackouts and disruptions in everyday life.