General: Alliance defense and crisis management linked. Russia has expanded its influence following the military coups of recent years in West Africa.
The commander of the Bundeswehr's operational command warns. According to Bernd Schütt, the overarching Russian intention is “to fill gaps relevant to security policy” The Russian presence forms a land belt that could stretch almost from the Atlantic to the Red Sea. The Bundeswehrer is in the midst of a realignment due to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.