“In principle, there would seem to be no reason why this mobilised defence effort cannot be maintained for quite a long period of time,” writes Mr Cooper, in a recent study for the RUSI Journal which surveys many of the facilities discussed above. “It is not without irony,” concludes Mr Cooper, “that advanced Western economies may now find the need to look closely at Russia to understand how to adapt.”

Can already heard them saying that the 800 billion isn’t enough…