Bundeswehr designates Russia as “existential risk” to Germany and Europe

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/06/20/7518028/

36 comments

  4. The Bundeswehr document cited by Spiegel says the modernisation of the Russian Armed Forces is progressing rapidly and they could have 1.5 million soldiers by 2026.
    The German military considers Russia an “existential risk” because the Kremlin is mobilising industry and power “specifically to meet the requirements for a large-scale conflict against NATO by the end of this decade”.

    Better start building your bunker and stock it with canned fruits and vegetables.

  5. Imagine if all of the world’s leaders shook off their conflicted interests and realized this 3 years ago. How many men, women, and children would still be alive and in their homes. I hope there is a hell, and it’s as bad as the bible says it would be.

  8. Stop buying their oil.

    Not reduce dependence on Russian oil over next five years. Stop buying it immediately. Cold turkey.

    It’s like the British buying BMWs during WW2. Absolutely insane.

  9. How can this even be possible. They don’t field anything modern, they have gone through their human budget, and there is talk that their tanks are depleted.

    how can Russia field 1,5 modernly armed soldiers by 2026?

  10. So long as someone in Russia yearn for the “glory” day of defunct Soviet Union, there will always be someone that will seek to regain it.

  11. Rheinmetall and KNDS better start pumping them tanks and armored vehicles!

  12. What I don’t get is considering Ukraine is draining them of **everything** with what amounts to what NATO could find in the couch cushions, how they are such a threat ?

    China and other powers attacking the West, sure. Real risk of large damage. But outside of nukes, Russia can’t even conquer a country that right up until the point of invasion, didn’t really have anything in place to counter one.

    Russia would get curb stomped 30 seconds after setting 30 ft into Poland, and that’s Poland without Article 5. In what world do Russians pose any sort of existential threat to any Western power on their own, never mind the collective might of NATO ?

    And to be clear, they have nukes, they will always be a threat because of that. But it’s the land war fear I just don’t get. And no disrespect to Ukraine, they are doing way better than anyone has a right to do with how criminally underfunded and under-armed they are, and our collective hesitance is a direct cause of unnecessary Ukraine deaths, even though from day one we knew they were fighting a fight so we didn’t have to.

  13. At first I thought it said Budweiser. And I was like wtf does Budweiser have to do with works safety haha

  15. I doubt the Bundeswehr classified the Soviet Union in the 70s and 80s as an “existential risk”, so this appears to be a somewhat alarmist and belligerent exaggeration — probably motivated to justify greatly increased defense spending

  17. Better late than never I guess.
    But taking out Iran, will pave the way.

  18. For those who is asking “How it is possible”, “Russia facing havy losses, burning human budget”. Well have a look what losses had SU in WW2, they were morbid, and after war had finished, SU was still with a largest armed army in the world. If you have a goal to put under rifle every man in your country, country with a 120 millions of people, would be just gigantic.

    Russia has no problems with enforcing men. There are zero protests happens and zero resistance, due obedient mindset and shared views with propaganda.

    European countries are those who will have a problem, due democracy. That country that will attempt to do the same with people what Russia is doing – will be toppled by own citizens in no time.

  19. Aren’t the Russians losing patience at some point?
    If they are such a great army and strong country i d get doubts about those „facts“ after more than 3 years no?

    Even with propaganda that d make me wonder how fucking long can it take when one is so might?!

  20. Russia is a threat to Asia too if you take a look at history. Many country lose lands to Russia. This country will be nuked by all other countries one day if other country finds its nuke systems are corrupted

  22. The timeline here is what’s most concerning. 18 months to draft this assessment, Russian force buildup to 1.5 million by 2026, and German intelligence warning of potential NATO attack within 2-3 years. That’s an extremely compressed timeframe for what they’re describing as systemic preparation for large-scale conflict.

    Germany calling this an “existential risk” rather than just a security concern shows how dramatically threat assessments have shifted. When you consider Germany’s historical reluctance toward military expansion and their previous energy dependence on Russia, this represents a fundamental strategic realignment.

    The part about Russia “mobilizing industry and power specifically to meet requirements for large-scale conflict against NATO” suggests this isn’t just about Ukraine anymore; they’re viewing this as preparation for a broader confrontation. If accurate, we’re looking at a return to something resembling Cold War military postures, but with much shorter warning times than the decades-long buildup we saw before.

    The question now is whether NATO’s response timeline can match what Germany is describing as Russia’s preparation timeline.

  23. i think europe as media and politicians are just trying to scare its citizens by such news and speeches. they know very well that russia will not attack to any nato country cuz it is suicide and meaningless.

  24. Well they sure don’t act like it. They gave Russia 20 Billion last years so…

  25. germany cuts all imports of gas from rhssia .. next year.

  26. Give Ukraine as many of those Taurus cruise missiles as you can.

  29. The threat from Russia isn’t that it would actually defeat NATO, it’s that it could launch an attack on NATO in the first place, and European armies need to be far better prepared for that to minimise the damage such an attack could cause.

    It’s less that Russia is some all-powerful military, and more that Europe as a whole is woefully ill-prepared for any conflict due to decades of neglect since the fall of the USSR.

    European land forces are generally small, air forces are small – what they have is very good, but they don’t have enough of it to ensure a decisive and immediate victory.

    Poland seems far ahead of the curve though.

  32. I dont understand why this is news in any way. It’s he said she said. Jesus christ.

  33. 3.5 years of all-out war and Russia hasn’t even been able to take Ukraine, but somehow you’re telling me that in 2-3 years and after all their losses and impending recession due to sanctions they will be done with Ukraine and conquer europe or open another front if not done with Ukraine yet, make it all the way to Germany, and pose an existential threat?

    Yeah okay, I’m not buying it. It just makes no sense. It’s either one or the other, it can’t be both.

  34. We shall never forget the treasonous maga. Already limiting as much as I can American products and services.

  36. Ah, I´m sure we Germans come up with something efficient, like 1 Shot = 4 Tanks or fucking HunterKillers on the border if we have to, don´t underestimate Europes ability to produce some “I´d fuck off, if I were you”- Answers, if we have to.

Comments are closed.