WW3 warning as top general says UK ‘must prepare now’ for conflict with Russia

Frontline: Our Solders Facing Putin - Channel 4 preview clip

Britain must gear up for imminent war with Russia, a former NATO commander has warned, insisting that only by preparing for the worst can the West hope to deter Vladimir Putin’s aggression. General Sir Richard Shirreff, NATO’s former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, delivered the chilling assessment during a new Channel 4 documentary amid escalating tensions on Europe’s eastern flank which threaten to escalate into World War 3.

Sir Richard explained: “We assess in NATO that Russia could attack within five to seven years. Only by preparing for the worst case, which is war with Russia, do we deter war with Russia.” His words come as Channel 4 airs the gripping new docuseries, Frontline: Our Soldiers Facing Putin, on Friday at 8pm, offering unprecedented access to NATO’s inner workings during 2025—a year marked by intensified Russian provocations along alliance borders.

Britain must prepare for war, says Sir Richard Shirreff (Image: C4)

Filmed amid the grinding fourth year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the two-part series plunges viewers into underground command bunkers in Naples, frozen forests in Estonia, and British convoys hauling full land armies across Europe.

It captures marines storming beaches from air and sea, all part of NATO’s frantic efforts to ready itself for a conflict that “feels closer by the day.” The programme, produced by All3Media’s Lion Television, reveals the alliance grappling with its most severe military and political challenge since the Cold War.

As Putin ramps up border incursions and hybrid threats, NATO is shown stress-testing its rapid deployment capabilities—hurling manpower and firepower to frontiers at breakneck speed. But Sir Richard cautioned that exercises alone are insufficient.

The retired British Army officer, who has 37 years of service, has long sounded the alarm on Russian threats. His 2016 book, 2017: War with Russia, painted a fictional yet eerily prescient scenario of Moscow invading the Baltic states, exposing NATO’s vulnerabilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Image: Getty)

Now, with Russia’s war in Ukraine showing no signs of abating—despite heavy losses and Western sanctions—the general’s prophecies feel alarmingly real. He points to historical lessons. Sir Richard noted: “Armies have to expand to fight wars of national survival.

"What we've got to ensure is that the armed forces of this country reflect properly the political statements about the first duty of government being to protect the country. And we've got to hold our political leaders' feet firmly to the fire to ensure that happens."

Adding to the peril is political uncertainty across the Atlantic. The series highlights growing doubts over President Donald Trump’s commitment to NATO, with his past rhetoric questioning the alliance’s mutual defence pact under Article 5.

Mr Trump’s threats to pull back US support have sown division, forcing European nations, including the UK, to confront the prospect of facing Russia with diminished American backing.

Sir Richard, who served as DSACEUR from 2011 to 2014, has previously criticised Mr Trump as a greater internal threat to NATO than Putin himself, arguing that such rhetoric erodes trust and emboldens Moscow.

In the docuseries, NATO commanders and troops are followed in real time as they prepare, from live-fire drills in eastern European trenches to strategic deliberations in high-level rooms. British forces feature prominently, patrolling borders and simulating ambushes in sub-zero conditions.

Channel 4’s Jo Potts added that the series offers an “unflinching” view of Europe’s defence preparations at a time of “profound global uncertainty.” As Russia continues to probe NATO’s resolve—through cyberattacks, airspace violations, and troop build-ups—the West teeters on the brink.

Sir Richard’s message is clear: delay could invite catastrophe. With the stakes encompassing Europe’s fate and beyond, Britain must heed this WW3 wake-up call and prepare now, or risk being caught unprepared in the trenches of tomorrow.