General Carsten Breuer has sent a chilling warning to NATO nations. Credit: Sean Gallup / Getty
Germany’s top military chief has issued a stark warning to NATO allies.
He called the Russian threat “very serious” and urged immediate action.
The warning follows recent attacks that heightened tensions across Europe.
General Carsten Breuer, Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, says NATO faces its gravest threat in 40 years.
He warns the window to prepare is closing fast.
Breuer told the BBC Russia is stockpiling weapons, building 1,500 battle tanks, and producing four million rounds of 152mm artillery ammo yearly.
Not all this firepower is sent to Ukraine.
“Not every tank goes to Ukraine,” he said.
“Some go into reserves and new military units facing the West.”
He stressed Russia’s clear intent and ongoing buildup.
German analysts think Russia might aim for a wider NATO conflict by 2029.
Breuer cautioned the threat could come sooner.
“We must be ready by 2029,” he said, “but it could happen earlier.
We must be able to fight tonight.”
He sees Russia’s growing arsenal as proof Putin plans more than a long war in Ukraine.
“He wants to weaken and destroy NATO and discredit Western society,” Breuer warned.
The warning came days after Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) launched a major drone strike deep inside Russia.
They used drones smuggled in and hidden in wooden cabins on trucks.
The strike destroyed over 40 Russian military aircraft and caused about £5 billion ($7bn) in damage, BBC reported.
SBU sources said they hit 34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers, close to the FSB’s regional office.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said,
“Our operation base inside Russia was right next to the FSB’s office in one region.”
After the strike, NATO’s vulnerability in Eastern Europe drew sharp focus.
Breuer warned the Baltic states—Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia—are especially exposed.
“The Baltic States are really exposed to the Russians,” he said.
“You feel this in talks we are having over there.”
Estonian officials compared the tension to standing near a wildfire:
“You feel the heat, see the flames, and smell the smoke.”
Breuer said Germany and others “probably see a little smoke on the horizon, nothing more.”
He urged NATO to ramp up defense immediately:
“We must lean in and tell everyone: ‘Ramp up. Get more involved.
We need this to defend ourselves and build deterrence.’”
In response, the UK plans to build up to 12 new nuclear-powered submarines with Tomahawk missiles.
This comes under the AUKUS pact with the US and Australia.
Though conventionally armed, these submarines will serve as intelligence platforms.
They can deploy special forces and drones off hostile coastlines.
Defence Secretary John Healey called the deterrent “what Putin fears most.”
He said the new fleet is the UK’s biggest nuclear deterrence effort since the Cold War.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed the urgency:
“From supply lines to front lines, this government stands fully behind those defending our freedom and security.”
Despite divisions in NATO, with countries like Hungary and Slovakia leaning pro-Russia, Breuer stays confident.
“I’ve never seen such unity,” he said.
“All understand the threat facing NATO and the need for deterrence and collective defence.
The urgency is clear to everyone.”
