German Navy inspector says Russian Navy increasingly aggressive
German Navy Inspector Jan Christian Kaack has warned of increasingly aggressive behaviour by the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea.
This increases "the risk of escalation," the vice admiral said in Berlin during the presentation of plans for higher operational readiness of the German naval forces.
"The threat has increased significantly, and we are all certain that we must be ready for defence and deterrence before '29 to prevent any further escalation," said Kaack, without going into detail about recent incidents.
As examples of the increasingly tense situation, the inspector pointed to "massive armament, war production in Russia, sabotage, intrusion and espionage attempts in Germany on ships and bases." He also mentioned drone overflights and the destruction of sea cables.
Kaack explained plans for new and additional weapon systems and the use of automated systems and artificial intelligence.
Two threat areas - the North Atlantic and adjacent sea areas, as well as the Baltic Sea - play a particularly important role, he said. It is necessary to respond decisively, swiftly, and with steps "that are also understood by Russia, now until 2029 and into the 30s and 40s."
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