NATO’s supreme military commander in Europe warned that Alliance forces would destroy “everything” if anyone dares to attack the territory of a member state.
Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, U.S. Air Force General Alex Grinkevich presented his own “theory of victory,” emphasizing that, although NATO is a defensive alliance, it has the capability to halt, weaken, and ultimately crush any attack against its members, rendering it completely futile.
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The NATO Supreme Commander warned that his forces would destroy “everything” if anyone were “foolish enough” to launch an attack on Alliance territory.
“If anyone is foolish enough to attack us, we will fight back. We will stop the attack and deprive the attacker of the ability to achieve their objectives, whatever they may be. In short, we will ensure that any attack against any ally will prove utterly futile,” he said.
NATO’s Message to Moscow
The Supreme Allied Commander Europe made it clear that the Alliance’s response would not necessarily be limited to the forces in the area of the initial attack, but could extend to the entire system supporting the adversary’s military operation.
“If the adversary chooses to continue the attack or commit its reserves, we will dismantle the warfighting system being used against us. This includes not only the attacking force itself, but everything that supports, sustains, and commands it,” he said.
Although Grinkevich did not name Russia in his speech, the message was clearly directed at Moscow.
In NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept, moreover, Russia is identified as the most significant threat to the Alliance’s security.
Fears of a Russian hybrid war in Europe
These warnings come as European governments accuse Russia of stepping up sabotage operations, drone airspace violations, and cyberattacks, as part of a broader effort to destabilize European societies and undermine support for Ukraine.
Last month, Russia warned that it could use nuclear weapons if NATO attempted to blockade Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave located between Poland and Lithuania, the Daily Mail reports.
At the same time, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski called on the Alliance to prepare for a potentially deadly Russian hybrid attack. In an interview with the Financial Times, he warned that the likelihood of casualties is increasing, as Moscow is stepping up its efforts to disrupt the functioning and destabilize European societies.
He acknowledged, however, that NATO’s response would require a difficult political and strategic judgment regarding what constitutes an attack that justifies stronger retaliation.
“The question is what constitutes an attack. When it comes to property damage, that’s one thing. But if people start getting killed, then there will have to be a very serious discussion within NATO,” he noted.
“When will we determine that the Russians have crossed the line? This is a matter of judgment. There is no pre-agreed definition,” he added.
Sikorski declined to specify what retaliatory measures should be taken in the event of human casualties. He noted, however, that Poland and Estonia have invoked Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, requesting —in accordance with the article—consultations following violations of their airspace by Russian drones and fighter jets.
Furthermore, Article 5 stipulates that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all, with each ally undertaking the actions it deems necessary to provide assistance. It has been invoked only once, by the United States, following the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Security Incidents in Europe
These concerns are heightened by a series of incidents that have set off alarms among European security agencies. In July, a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile crashed into a field in eastern Poland and exploded, creating a crater approximately 10 meters in diameter, near the village of Tarnava-Kolonia.
Repeated incidents of airspace violations by drones have been recorded in countries on NATO’s eastern flank, including Poland, Romania, and Lithuania, which are located near Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.
At the same time, German intelligence agencies recently warned that the Kremlin’s “shadow war” is entering a new, potentially deadly phase.
Last month, Berlin accused Moscow of orchestrating a drone attack at the Leipzig-Halle Airport in August, near Ukrainian transport aircraft. The explosive device did not detonate, as the detonator was reportedly defective, while investigators suspect that a second drone collided with a transport aircraft in the area. Ten days later, according to reports, a third drone was also located near the airport.
Source: iefimerida.gr
