The key facts

  • Wes Streeting stated that Britain has just over a thousand days left to prepare for war
  • Zakharova joked, referring to the minister as a 'stringer'
  • The British government launched the 'Be Ready' campaign and updated its action plan for a major conflict

Reaction of the Russian Foreign Ministry to London's statement

Maria Zakharova, the official spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, during a briefing broadcast on the diplomatic department's RuTube channel,responded to the words of British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting regarding the need to prepare for war. According to Gazeta.Ru,she joked: 'Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, I somehow feel like calling him a 'stringer', clarified in The Telegraph newspaper exactly what needs to be prepared for.'

The essence of Streeting's statement and the 'Be Ready' campaign

According to Zakharova, Streeting stated that the country has just over a thousand days left to prepare for war. She pointed out that on the same day, the British government launched the 'Be Ready' campaign, recommending that every household keep supplies of water and food for three days.

Context: Updated plan in case of conflict

Zakharova referred to a broader context: earlier, the BBC service reportedthat the British government, for the first time in many years, updated its national action plan in case of a major conflict — the document recommends that Britons stock up on canned goods and water. The Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces, Richard Naton, noted that due to the 'threat from Russia', the country is in the most dangerous position in the last 35 years of his service. Previously, the NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe stated that the alliance is ready for war.