The threat posed by Russia should be taken “seriously” by the world, particularly in light of the report outlining how Vladimir Putin may prompt new violence in Europe, a retired officer has said.
Retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, who commanded the US Army in Europe between 2014 and 2018, warned NATO should stand prepared and united. Failing to do so, would only invite Moscow to launch an attack, which may possibly lead to World War III.
He told the Daily Mail: “[Russia] only respects strength. If they sense any weakness then they will continue to move forward.
“If they did it, it would be because they made the assessment that we were not ready or unified inside the alliance or that we did not have adequate ammunition or the ability to move fast enough. But if we are prepared, they still have a long way to go.”
The retired officer referred to a report published by the German newspaper Bild on Monday which cited a secret document by the Bundeswehr – Germany’s armed forces.
The document outlined how Germany is preparing for war amid fear the Kremlin may be planning an escalation of tension – and eventually a new war – in Europe.
According to the doomsday report, the seeds for a clash with devastating repercussions between NATO and Russia could be planted by the Kremlin as soon as next month, with a mobilisation in Russia of some 200,000 troops.
The report said a hybrid warfare could develop over the following months, with Russian provocations including cyberattacks, clashes in the Baltic countries – aimed at providing an excuse to Putin to launch a large-scale military drill in Belarus and Western Russia – and unrest “with numerous casualties” along the tense Suwałki Gap.
As a consequence of these provocations by Russia, by the summer of 2025 hundreds of thousands of NATO soldiers could be deployed on the alliance’s eastern flank to defend against an impending and full-scale Russian attack, the report also claimed.
While the emergence of a similar report is concerning and shows how Russia is unlikely to be satisfied with the war it is waging in Ukraine, Mr Hodges added the plans outlined by Germany show they are taking the threat seriously.
Being ready for war, he believes, is the best way to prevent it. He explained: “If the civilian leadership doesn’t think there’s a threat, they won’t be able to move quickly enough.
“Our leaders should talk to us like adults. It doesn’t mean you’re a scaremongerer, it means you’re taking precaution, which is exactly what we should be doing.”
A German Ministry of Defence spokesperson told Bild they did not want to comment on the specific NATO defence scenario but said: “Basically, I can tell you that considering different scenarios, even if they are extremely unlikely, is part of everyday military business, especially in training.”
A similar attitude appears to have been embraced by Sweden, with two top defence officials warning at the beginning of the month that people in the Scandinavian country need to start becoming mentally prepared for a conflict.
