Pistorius: Russia’s weapon stockpiling hints at larger military plans

Russia is already producing more weapons and ammunition than it needs to wage war against Ukraine and is working to fill its warehouses, said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on April 25.

Pistorius noted a significant increase in Russian arms spending and a streamlining of its military economy, observing that "a significant part of what is produced no longer goes directly to the front, but ends up in warehouses."

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While addressing the potential motivations behind this strategy, Pistorius expressed concern over Russian President Vladimir Putin's further military ambitions. "Now you can be naive and say that he is doing this only out of caution," he commented. "As a skeptical person, I would rather say that in this case he is doing it because he is planning something or may have something in mind."

European concerns over potential Russian aggression

The possibility of Russia attacking Europe by late 2024 or early 2025 has been highlighted by the German publication Bild, citing intelligence sources. This concern arises from a predicted leadership vacuum in the United States during that period, potentially delaying American aid to European allies.

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The civilian population in the West should prepare for a “total war” with Russia, NATO’s Military Committee chair, Admiral Rob Bauer, said.

Europe is once again “facing a military threat that has not been seen in 30 years,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said, as he warned of the possibility of a Russian attack within five to eight years.

Possibility that Russia could start a war against NATO next year is extremely low, Lithuania’s Commander-in-Chief, Valdemaras Rupšys, said at the same time.

Russia does not want a direct military conflict with the United States and NATO and will continue asymmetric activities which, according to its estimates, will not cross the threshold of a military conflict on a global scale, American intelligence reported in March.

European Union, NATO, and Spain are not preparing for war, despite the growing threat from Russia, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on March 26.

Read also: Russian Foreign Ministry labels NATO exercises in Finland 'provocative and aggressive'

The Alliance is ready for a potential conflict with Russia, NATO's military committee head, Rob Bauer, commented at the same time.

At the same time, German intelligence says that Russia is preparing for a large-scale conflict with NATO and could attack at least part of the Alliance's territory as early as 2026.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine