"We must be ready to fight" - Germany's army chief warned of the growing threat from the Russian Federation
Kyiv • UNN
General Christian Freuding called for preparations for war with the Russian Federation by 2029. This is an intelligence assessment supported by all 32 NATO member states.
Germany must prepare for a possible Russian attack by 2029 or even earlier. This was stated to Politico by the head of the German Army, Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, UNN reports.
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"We must be ready… We must be ready to fight," said the head of the German Army, Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, at the ILA Berlin Air Show.
According to him, there is a broad consensus among allies that Russia could attack NATO territory by the end of the decade.
"2029 is not a German forecast. It is an intelligence assessment agreed upon within NATO," Freuding noted. "All 32 NATO partners agree that Russia could acquire the capability to invade an Alliance member state in 2029."
However, he warned that Moscow could act even sooner, despite the fact that the war in Ukraine is entering its fourth year, and Kyiv reports over 1.3 million Russian casualties and significant equipment losses.
Freuding's statements come amid warnings from European defense officials that Russia could rebuild sufficient military potential within the coming years to pose a direct conventional threat to NATO territory, despite its losses in Ukraine. For defense planners, 2029 has become a symbolic point by which Europe must eliminate critical gaps in readiness, production, and military capabilities.
The general's words underscore concerns that Moscow could test the Alliance's unity while Europe is still in the process of ramping up its armaments.
This urgency is also influencing discussions in Germany regarding arms procurement and the capacity of the defense industry. Freuding stated that Berlin has already done "a lot" to accelerate procurement, and the industry has increased production capacities.
At the same time, he warned that Germany cannot rely solely on long-term weapons programs, the development and deployment of which can take years.
"Speed is now of the essence," Freuding emphasized.
Regarding some systems still under development, he said Germany needs "interim solutions" to bridge the gap between the army's current capabilities and the required level of combat readiness.
"We, as the German army, must improve our readiness for 'fighting today' every day," he said, referring to the Bundeswehr's new course on forming high-readiness forces designed to deter potential Russian aggression.
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