DHAKA: Russia has become a danger to Britain and the country must be prepared to take steps to defend itself and its allies.

The former head of MI6 says, reports the BBC.

Sir John Sawers, who recently retired after five years as chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Russia poses a ‘state to state threat’.

Sir John said dealing with such threats would require more defence spending.

But he called on issues with Russia to be addressed by ‘increased dialogue’.

He said he was disappointed how, after the end of the Cold War, Russia’s and Europe’s paths had failed to converge.

Russia’s threat was ‘not necessarily directly to the UK but to countries around its periphery’.

‘(Russia) keep on reminding us that they have nuclear weapons,’ he said.

‘The one level in which Russia and America are equals is at the nuclear level.’

‘Now we don't want to have a repeat of the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 where we got to the brink of nuclear war.’

‘We need to be able to address this through increased dialogue.’

BDST: 2037 HRS, FEB 28, 2015