As of: February 15, 2024, 3:21 p.m
By: Babett Gumbrecht
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Press
Split
Despite losses in the Ukraine war, Putin's starting position is good - even better than before, according to a defense expert.
And the Kremlin could attack elsewhere.
Moscow - A lot of resources were used up and heavy losses were incurred: Russia should actually be weakened after two years in the war against Ukraine.
But that is a mistake, as a European defense official now assesses the situation.
Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin now has an even larger military force, more war experience and is in the process of correcting his mistakes, according to an interview with a defense official
conducted by
Business Insider .
His concern: Putin could use the experience he has gained to attack another target: NATO.
For this plan, a close target would be the direct NATO neighbors Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
Lithuania does not underestimate Putin: Russia quickly recovers from losses
Business Insider
interviewed
the director of the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense, Vaidotas Urbelis, as an expert.
In the interview, he explained that his country had to be prepared for the “worst case scenario”, i.e. a Russian attack.
Urbelis also said that despite its setbacks, Russia appears to be better prepared for a future attack than for the attack on Ukraine.
“Now they have experience in fighting a major war, which should be taken into account as part of planning,” Urbelis continued.
The expert added: “If you just look at the sheer numbers, Russia now has more people in the armed forces than before the invasion.” One can also assume that despite the losses in equipment, Russia is able “to move forward fairly quickly to recover.”
NATO is not ruling out an attack and is rehearsing for an emergency: the “Steadfast Defender” maneuver is underway
It is not an isolated opinion that Putin could attack the defense alliance.
Germany is now no longer ruling out a Russian attack on NATO.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) said earlier this year that Russia could attack a NATO country within the next five to eight years.
“We hear threats from the Kremlin almost every day,” he said.
NATO has also recognized the danger posed by Putin.
The NATO exercise “Steadfast Defender” is currently underway.
This should last until the end of May.
90,000 soldiers from all 31 alliance countries are taking part in the large-scale exercise, including accession candidate Sweden.
According to NATO information, the emergency of a Russian attack on the alliance's territory is to be rehearsed, reports the
German Press Agency
.
Should Putin actually attack a member of NATO, membership in the defense alliance would mean that it can draw on the military strength of all member states in the event of an attack.
However, Urbelis said Lithuania must be prepared to respond quickly rather than waiting for the NATO machinery to get going.
Lithuania must be “ready to fight at any moment,” he said.
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Kremlin asserts NATO attack: Estonia does not trust Putin's promises
The other Baltic states Estonia and Latvia are also preparing for an emergency.
Putin, however, asserts that he has no intention of attacking.
The Russian president recently said in a conversation with US moderator Tucker Carlson that a Russian invasion of the NATO states Poland and Latvia was “absolutely impossible.”
The only exception: if the NATO countries attacked Russia.
Despite Putin's vows, Estonia and Latvia are continuing to build a defense line on their borders with Russia.
“We will not change our plans just because Putin gave an interview to a journalist,” Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur told the
dpa
in Tapa at the beginning of February.
“Do you believe Vladimir Putin after what he has said and how he behaves all these years?” asks Pevkur.
Pevkur warned not to believe Putin's appeasing statements.
A few days before the invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin also categorically ruled out an attack on the neighboring country.
“We are currently increasing our readiness.
And that is what everyone must do.
Not just here in Estonia, but everyone else too,” he emphasized.
(
bg/dpa
)