In an interview with The Guardian, former NATO Secretary General George Robertson said the British Ministry of Defence had lost the contact details of tens of thousands of reservists who could be called up in the event of a conflict.

Robertson said the review was dealing with the strategic reserve — people who had previously served in the armed forces and still remained under active obligations. According to his account, the ministry does not currently even know where most of them are.

The Guardian noted that British law imposes a lifelong obligation on all officers, both active and retired, to return to service if required. At the same time, the Ministry of Defence keeps in touch with former service personnel only during the first six years after they leave the military.

As a result, the issue concerns those who completed their service more than six years ago. Asked to comment, the British defence ministry said it continuously updates its records and remains in contact with the strategic reserve in order to ensure the fastest possible mobilization if needed.