The United Kingdom has not had direct contact with Russia’s military leadership for four years, since the last conversation between Generals Tony Radakin and Valeri Gherasimov. Now, against the backdrop of increasingly frequent incidents in the English Channel and the North Sea, officials and former diplomats warn of the risk of unintentional escalation and urgently call for the resumption of military dialogue with Moscow.
The last telephone conversation between the Chief of the General Staff of Russia, Valeri Gherasimov, and his British counterpart took place four years ago, shortly after a Russian pilot attempted to shoot down a Royal Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea, reports The Times.
The discussion with Admiral Tony Radakin, who at that time held the position of Chief of the British Army’s General Staff, took place in September 2022 and was described by a source as “very direct”. Since then, there would have been no further contact between the military leadership of the two countries.
According to the same sources, Radakin’s subsequent requests to discuss over the phone were reportedly rejected by the Russian side through a “polite response”, stating that the general is “too busy” to answer the call.
After, in September last year, the chief marshal of aviation Sir Richard Knighton replaced Radakin in office, he too tried to get in touch with Gherasimov — considered one of the architects of the long and costly war in Ukraine. The Russian official did not respond.
Now, following recent incidents in the English Channel, the North Sea, and other areas, the new British Defense Minister, Wes Streeting, and the top military leadership may face increasing pressure to “reopen” communication channels, amid fears of a possible “unintentional escalation” in relations with the Russian armed forces.
According to The Times publication, high-ranking officials and diplomats are expressing their concern about the lack of communication between the two sides, warning that a misunderstanding at sea could trigger a larger-scale conflict with Russia.
The former military attaché in Moscow and Kiev, John Foreman, stated that it is necessary to resume high-level contacts between Streeting and Knighton.
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