“NATO is discussing the possibility of pre-emptive strikes on Russia – Admiral Bauer November 25, 20:30 Share: Rob Bauer (Photo: REUTERS/Janis Laizans) Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian army has significantly increased in number, while its quality has decreased, said the head of the Military Admiral Rob Bauer of the NATO Committee. This is reported by Reuters. He noted that currently Russia does not pose such a threat as in February 2022, which gives time for”, — write on: ua.news
Rob Bauer (Photo: REUTERS/Janis Laizans)
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian army has increased significantly in numbers, while its quality has decreased, said the chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer.
This is reported by Reuters.
He noted that Russia currently does not pose the same threat as in February 2022, which gives time for preparations, including increased investment in the defense industry. He emphasized the need for businesses to adapt to a “wartime scenario” to minimize vulnerability to blackmail by countries such as Russia and China.
The admiral recalled how, at the beginning of the Russian invasion, Russia stopped supplying gas to Europe, which revealed dependence on such suppliers. He emphasized that the West’s dependence on China, for example, in the field of rare earth materials (60% extraction and 90% processing), as well as chemical ingredients for medicines, is a strategic vulnerability
According to Bauer, business leaders in Europe and the United States must realize that their commercial decisions have serious consequences for national security.
In addition, he noted that NATO is discussing the possibility of preemptive high-precision strikes on Russian territory in the event of a threat of attack.
Bauer said the Alliance no longer follows the approach “wait for an attack and only then react.” Instead, scenarios of striking launchers and other military facilities in Russia to prevent aggression are being discussed.
He called a positive change in NATO’s attitude, which is now more focused on active defense than on exclusively defensive actions.
A possible Russian attack on NATO – what is known
In December 2023, the Bild publication, citing its own sources in the intelligence of one of the European countries, reported that Russia may try to attack Europe in late 2024 or early 2025, when the United States finds itself “without a leader” and will be able to come to the aid of European states only after a certain delay.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in January 2024 that Europe will again “is facing a military threat that has not existed for 30 years,” and warned of the possibility of an attack by Russia in five to eight years.
American intelligence reported in March that Russia does not want a direct military conflict with the United States and NATO and will continue asymmetric activities, which, according to its estimates, will not cross the threshold of a military conflict on a global scale.
German intelligence says that Russia is preparing for a large-scale conflict with NATO and may attack at least part of the Alliance’s territory as early as 2026.
On May 3, the representative of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitsky, expressed doubts that NATO would be able to protect the countries on the eastern flank in the event of a Russian invasion.
On June 4, the Commander-in-Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces, Erik Kristoffersen, said that NATO has two to three years to prepare for a possible confrontation with Russia.
On June 12, Boris Pistorius said that Russia could attack a NATO ally or another neighboring state in 2029.
On July 23, the Inspector General of the German Armed Forces, Carsten Breuer, said that Russia could attack NATO in five to eight years.