German Military Chief warns of escalating Russian threat to NATO
Germany’s highest-ranking military officer, General Inspector of the Bundeswehr, Carsten Breuer, has issued a stark warning about the increasing military danger posed by Russia to Western nations. "We are witnessing the Russian army orienting itself towards the West," Breuer said in an interview with Sächsische Zeitung, as reported by dpa.
Within the next 5-8 years, the Russian Armed Forces are expected to be equipped and manned in a way that would make an attack on NATO territory viable. Breuer referenced his own analyses, intelligence from German allies, and statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin to support his claims.
The Russian military is receiving between 1,000 and 1,500 tanks annually, a stark contrast to the combined total of around 750 tanks available to the five largest NATO European countries. The Bundeswehr itself has approximately 300 combat tanks, Breuer noted.
"If we add the intention that can definitely be read in Putin's statements to this potential, it should alarm us. My duty is to consider such worst-case scenarios," he emphasized. Breuer believes Germany must prepare for a possible Russian attack within five years, warning that the new threat landscape has not yet been fully recognized by all.
Commenting on the situation in Ukraine, Breuer does not foresee significant changes in the battle zones in the near future.
"Small, slow operations" are possible, but launching large-scale offensives is currently challenging, he said. "Any concentration of troops will be immediately noticed and countered," explained the general. He stressed that the war-torn Ukraine remains heavily dependent on support from its partners.