One fifth of British armed forces 'unfit to fight', Ministry of Defence admits

Last week, Defence Secretary John Healey said it is a "critical period" for Ukraine and pledged that the UK would be "stepping up" help. Earlier in December, veterans minister Mr Carns, who is also a reservist, issued the warning as he spoke of the importance of rebuilding the UK's reserve forces. During a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, Mr Carns said: "In a war of scale - not a limited intervention, but one similar to Ukraine - our army for example on the current casualty rates would be expended - as part of a broader multinational coalition - in six months to a year.”