NATO military buildup tests Russia's strained forces

The longer the West supports Kyiv, the greater the Russian losses, and Moscow has limited capabilities to act in other directions, assessed the Chief of the General Staff of the Norwegian Armed Forces, Gen. Eirik Kristoffersen.

"Demonstrating NATO countries' readiness to defend and utilize armed forces in defense of allies most effectively shows the Kremlin that a war with the Alliance is the worst possible idea," stated Gen. Eirik Kristoffersen in an interview.

Kristoffersen emphasized that more than 2.5 years after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, NATO countries' armies have learned a lot about the new theater of war.

In his opinion, the most crucial factor now is not the number of modern equipment but the ability to immediately implement new tools. "Currently, military technology becomes obsolete just a few months after being used on the battlefield," he emphasized.

"Flexibility and the ability to apply necessary tactical and technological solutions at any given moment require us to think in a completely new way about preparing for a potential conflict," stated Gen. Kristoffersen.

According to PAP's interlocutor, the war in Ukraine has clearly weakened Russian forces on other border sections, which indicates the unimaginable level of losses being experienced on the Ukrainian front.

"At the Norwegian and Finnish borders, where three years ago three brigades of the Russian army were stationed, today our sources speak of a maximum of three companies. That's just one-fifth of the Russian Federation's combat capabilities in this region compared to the period before February 2022," he noted.

In light of a recent statement by the Chief of the Polish General Staff, Gen. Wiesław Kukuła, who claimed that the current generation of Poles will stand with arms in hand to defend the country, Gen. Kristoffersen emphasized that such an attitude and readiness to use one's own forces in defense of neighboring nations most effectively convinces the Kremlin that war with NATO is the worst idea.

Gen. Kristoffersen avoided speculating on the likelihood of an attack on any NATO member, but he noted that Russia is nearly stretched to its limits in the war in Ukraine, which is generating enormous losses. "The longer the West supports Kyiv, the greater the Russian losses, and Moscow has limited capabilities to act in other directions," he emphasized.

"I don't see any other end to the war than a return to the state before 2014," assessed Gen. Kristoffersen. He also pointed out that NATO countries' defense industries, including Norway, are operating at the edge of their capacities. The main challenges include producing and delivering weapons to Ukraine, rebuilding the stockpiles of Alliance countries, and decisions to increase the size of armed forces. This is causing a noticeable increase in the prices of new weapons.

"The costs of ordering equipment from the list I presented to my superiors at the beginning of last year have tripled since then," he said.

Norway, in the budget plan announced on Monday for 2025, plans to spend on its defense an amount corresponding to 2.16% of GDP.