Major General Christian Freuding warned that Russia expands army beyond their needs in Ukraine. – We are observing that the Russian armed forces are not only compensating for their huge personnel and material losses – alone and with the support of their partners – but are successfully rearming, he told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.
Russia's attack on member states NATO is by no means certain in the coming years, “but Moscow is clearly creating the conditions for it,” said the German general. Month after month, the Russian army has more tanks, more ammunition, missiles and drones. – Production is growing and stocks in warehouses are increasing, Freuding emphasized.
Former head of the defense committee: A huge threat
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the former head of the Bundestag's defense committee, also talks about the “huge threat” to Germany and Europe. She currently sits in the European Parliament for the German Liberals. – Russia has an impressive military force and a large number of highly effective equipment, and it managed to do so despite Western imposed restrictions sanctions – she said in an interview with “Welt am Sonntag”. At the same time, the FDP politician emphasized that quality problems and dependence on foreign technologies limit Russian success.
“The Initial Stage of the War”
A politician from the Christian Democratic party CDU, Roderich Kiesewetter, in turn, sees Russian hybrid attacks as a “initial stage of the war.” – They also include espionage activities and massive attacks in the information space – he told “Welt am Sonntag”. NATO recently strengthened its defenses against sabotage and cyberattacks, mainly from Russia and China. It is suspected that in recent weeks there have been acts of sabotage by the so-called Russian shadow fleet on cables and pipelines running through the Baltic Sea.