Newspaper: NATO outlines 4,400-page strategy against Russian threat

NATO officials and military planners are increasingly convinced that a war with Russia may be inevitable, prompting the Alliance to intensify its defensive preparations.

According to Welt, discussions of a so-called “Phase Zero” in the confrontation with Russia are not limited to military experts. There is also significant concern within NATO’s civilian and military leadership.

“No one knows how long the war in Ukraine will last. But the threat of an attack on NATO territory, especially in the Baltic states, will be greatest after the war in Ukraine ends. We are already in ‘Phase Zero,’” a former senior NATO general told the publication.

NATO is particularly worried about recent reforms in some Russian military districts. Kaupo Rosin, head of Estonia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, noted in an interview with Welt that these changes will increase Russian troop presence along NATO borders, raising the risk of a rapid offensive in the event of a crisis.

The proximity of Russian forces near NATO territory creates a strategic challenge, as the Alliance would have very limited warning time in case of an attack.

In response, NATO has begun intensive preparations to prevent potential Russian aggression, including the development and implementation of classified defensive plans.

According to the report, Christopher T. Donahue, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), presented a comprehensive defence strategy to military representatives from 32 NATO member states in Brussels nine days ago. The plan, officially titled the “Deterrence Line Concept on the Eastern Flank,” spans 4,400 pages.

“Drones and autonomous weapons play a key role in Donahue’s concept, as does the deployment of larger and heavier weapons along NATO’s eastern border, as well as improved networked coordination between armed forces for data sharing,” Welt notes.

By Tamilla Hasanova