The Russian Federation continues to build up its military capabilities, going beyond the current needs for waging war in Ukraine. According to the opinion of Bundeswehr representatives, the Kremlin seeks not only to strengthen its position in the occupied territories, but also to prepare the ground for a potential attack on NATO countries. This statement was made by the head of the Ukrainian Situation Center, Christian Freuding, who believes that by 2026, Russia can finally take control of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions, and after that it will try to expand its aggression towards the Alliance countries.
According to Freuding, Russia is actively producing weapons that exceed its current needs on the front in Ukraine. This includes the production of thousands of precision bombs as well as drones used for both offensive and defensive purposes. For example, every month Russia produces up to 3,000 cruise bombs and more than a thousand high-precision missiles with a range of up to 100 km. In addition, the country is also increasing the production of drones - 1.5 million FPV drones and more than 6 thousand Shahed drones are created annually.
Freuding emphasized that by 2028, Russia could become a serious threat to NATO countries, although there is no convincing evidence that the Kremlin has already decided to attack. However, all these actions indicate that the Kremlin is creating conditions for a more aggressive policy in the future. His opinion is shared by the head of the Committee on Security and Defense of the European Parliament, Marie Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, who considers the presence of such weapons to be a "huge threat" to Europe. According to military analyst Niko Lange, Russia is ready to use military force even under conditions of significant losses, which makes it extremely dangerous for its neighbors. Different attack options are possible, from the use of drones and missiles to surprise attacks on the Baltic states, Poland or the south-eastern flank of NATO. In addition, there is a possibility that Russia will try to carry out military operations without national insignia, which will make it difficult to determine their origin. It should be noted that Bundestag member Roderich Kiesewetter considers an attack on NATO member states quite possible in the coming years. According to him, the Kremlin is actively preparing for possible military actions that may begin in a year or two.
Currently, the future of the military situation remains uncertain, but the significant build-up of Russia's military capabilities leaves no doubt that the Kremlin is actively preparing for larger-scale military operations that may go beyond the borders of Ukraine. NATO and Europe must be prepared for potential challenges and strengthen their defense capabilities to prevent possible aggressive actions by Russia.
