Militär: General hält die Nato im Konflikt mit Russland für klar überlegen

Oberbefehlshaber der Nato General Alexus Grynkewich has stated that his military alliance views itself as clearly superior to Russia in terms of military capabilities. During an interview with the "Spiegel", he affirmed that NATO's military prowess surpasses that of Russia in numerous ways. Russia lacks modern F-35 fighter jets, modern destroyers and submarines, which NATO possesses in abundance.

Grynkewich is confident that Russia will not initiate a large-scale conventional attack on Europe. He believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin resorts to methods such as sabotage due to the absence of other alternatives. Putin likely avoids direct conflict due to the existing conventional deterrent. To maintain this deterrence, NATO must continue to modernize its armed forces, conduct extensive training, and demonstrate its capabilities.

When asked about the appropriateness of the term "shadow war" for Russian actions, the four-star General insisted on using precise terminology such as sabotage, arson, or terrorist attacks, instead of the vague concept of hybrid warfare. Regarding whether NATO is already at war with Russia, Grynkewich cautioned that it is a dangerous game orchestrated by Putin to convince populations that supporting Ukraine could lead to a war with Russia.

So far, this has not happened. Following recent Russian threats of isolation or an attack on the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, Grynkewich reiterated that NATO is a defensive alliance, acting only in response to an attack. He emphasized that Russia has no reason to worry about Kaliningrad. While acknowledging that the military situation in the Baltics is unfavorable for Russia, he noted that NATO has become stronger in this region.

NATO exercises along NATO's eastern flank remain routine, and efforts are made to ensure they are not perceived as aggression. Grynkewich stated that the attempted attack on the Leipzig airport by Russia was a clear violation of borders. If successful, several fully fueled An-124 transport airplanes would have been in the air, likely resulting in casualties, including those of Ukrainian cargo planes.

Recognizing the importance of drones in modern warfare, Grynkewich called for NATO to rapidly improve its drone capabilities. He emphasized the need for a large number of expendable combat drones, cheaper hypersonic missiles, and much more.