I’m a retired commodore — I keep these things in my kitchen for WW3

A retired Royal Navy commodore has revealed what he has in his house in case of an emergency. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting warned that the UK and NATO must prepare for the possibility of war in 1,000 days, and the Government has advised Brits to stock up on essentials due to hostile state threats.

A checklist drawn up by the Government recommends having nine litres of water per person — enough for three days — along with non-perishable food such as tinned meat and vegetables or dried fruit. It also suggests hand sanitiser, wet wipes and toiletries, food for any pets, supplies for any babies, a battery-powered or wind-up FM radio, a torch, blankets, a charged power bank for devices, cash in case payment systems collapse, a first aid kit and copies of important documents. Commodore (Ret’d) Steve Prest, a RUSI associate fellow, told the Express that he and his wife keep a few days’ worth of essential provisions, which they routinely rotate through, alongside some basic emergency equipment.

These include tins of beans, pasta and cereal “and a bunch of other things”. He said that when they buy new tins of beans, the latest ones replace them in the stash. In addition, the former military man has a solar-powered, wind-up radio with an integrated torch, general camping gear — such as a camping stove — and bottled water.

Mr Prest said: “We have taken some modest [measures] — I’m not ready to live off-grid for months — but modest practical measures, just to see us through any sort of emergency.”

Security minister Dan Jarvis said: “Those who can follow this advice should follow this advice. By taking simple steps to be ready for everyday emergencies like severe storms, people can reduce pressure on emergency services, helping them prioritise people who need more support in an emergency.

“This is just the sort of community-focused campaign the UK needs to improve our resilience as a nation. It will bring us into line with European counterparts, where advice like this is a normal part of everyday life.”

Mr Prest said that the risk of a war against Russia is the greatest it has been since the height of the Cold War, and, “in many ways, certainly a confrontation” with Moscow is already taking place. Attacks on the UK mainland are an “entirely plausible situation”, he added, if Britain gets “caught up in a NATO conflict”.

The expert also fears that Britons are not fully cognisant of the possibility of war, akin to the attitude of the Government and public before the COVID-19 pandemic.