UK chief of Defense Staff says Russia noticeably boosted its military might

LONDON, September 17. /TASS/. Chief of the UK Defense Staff Air Chief Marshal Richard Knighton said that Russia noticeably strengthened its armed forces over the past few years.

"Russia is more powerful militarily now than it has been for a long time," he told Sky News in an interview.

In his view, the global security situation is "getting more dangerous," prompting the United Kingdom to increase its military spending.

He also confirmed earlier media reports that the UK Ministry of Defense had cancelled some of its training exercises to save budgetary funds.

"At the start of the year we set up some plans before we knew exactly what was the budget. We got the budget and then we just adjusted the plans to fit within that," Knighton said.