The Russian military can outgun British troops on the battlefield, the army has admitted in a leaked report laying bare the firepower, hacking technology and propaganda developed by President Putin’s state.

The report, seen by The Times, warned that Russian weapons, including rocket launchers and air defence systems, were more powerful than their British equivalents, giving Mr Putin a “significant capability edge”. A planned £3.5 billion fleet of lightly armoured British army vehicles was said to be “disproportionately vulnerable” to Russian mortar and rocket fire in the event of a war.

The publication was produced in March under the direction of Gen Sir Nick Carter, the head of the army, the newspaper said. It is understood the report is based on one training exercise carried out in Ukraine. That reported by www.theguardian.com

An army spokeswoman said: “The British army conducts regular reviews of potential scenarios in order to improve its readiness to both protect UK influence and protect our people.”

The report also recommended that soldiers be made more aware of manipulative online tactics used on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and that they should leave electrical devices at home while on exercises.

The publication, Insights to “Training Smarter” Against a Hybrid Adversary, concluded that one of Russia’s goals in Ukraine was to practise “new methods of warfare as well as testing modern and prohibited weapons”, the Times said.

It set out how the UK could counter Russia’s new hybrid strategy of electronic warfare, drones, propaganda and artillery.