NATO warns of potential Russian missile and air strikes across Europe
Senior NATO officials warn that the alliance must be prepared for Russia to launch missile and air strikes across Europe, including Germany, if the Kremlin moves to attack NATO forces. These cautions come as tensions rise between Moscow and the alliance and underscore the urgency of readiness for possible large-scale conflict in Europe. [citation: The Times]
Lieutenant General Alexander Sollfrank, who heads NATO’s logistics hub in southwestern Germany, urged allies to cut through bureaucratic red tape that slows the rapid movement of troops and equipment. He noted that alliance members routinely rely on each other’s weapons and services in crisis scenarios, underscoring the need for smoother cross-border cooperation. [citation: The Times]
NATO leaders worry about Moscow’s next steps even as much of Russia’s resources are presently focused on Ukraine. They see a narrow window of time—potentially as short as three years—to strengthen defenses against a possible Russian invasion of NATO territory. [citation: The Times]
Alexander Sollfrank and colleagues from Germany, the United States, and the Netherlands fear Russia could strike behind front lines to cripple civilian and military infrastructure essential to sustained combat. [citation: The Times]
Germany is under attack
The generals expect the bulk of potential strikes to target German soil, a critical transit route for redeploying troops and supplying NATO forces across Europe. Potential targets span from munitions factories and command hubs to power plants, bridges, and rail lines. [citation: The Times]
These warnings draw on experiences from Ukraine, where Moscow conducted extensive missile and air campaigns against rear areas while Ukrainian forces attacked supply depots and command facilities far inside Russia’s borders. [citation: The Times]
Speaking at the NATO Joint Support and Capabilities Command (JSEC Enabling Command) in Ulm, Sollfrank warned that rear areas will be tested as never before. He stressed that attackers could seek to disable communications through both kinetic and non-kinetic means, including electronic warfare, cyber operations, missiles, drones, and other air-strike capabilities. [citation: The Times]
Brigadier General Ronald Ragin, head of the U.S. Army’s 21st Theater Sustainment Command based in Kaiserslautern, echoed the concern that planning must account for every operational detail. He reminded a Berlin conference that the enemy may not allow rapid, flawless redeployment of ten divisions within ten days. [citation: The Times]
Deterrence today relies not only on formidable forces but on delivering them quickly and sustaining them through a prolonged conflict. The Times notes that ensuring supply lines and reinforcement routes remain open would be central to any credible defense. [citation: The Times]
Recent reports indicate that Germany’s armed forces are mapping out responses to cyber and sabotage threats, including the deployment of Bundeswehr units to protect critical logistics hubs. The rise of missile threats further complicates defense, prompting a push to strengthen air and missile defenses around key sites, even as such defenses face endurance and evasion challenges. [citation: The Times]
Sollfrank highlighted a key lesson from Ukraine: without fixed and flexible supply routes, reinforcements are highly vulnerable to disruption. He noted that after the Cold War, many stockpiles and support facilities were dismantled, leaving a fragile network for rapid deployment. The goal now is a resilient, sustainable reinforcement system that places troops where they are needed, with reliable life support in place. [citation: The Times]
Why is military Schengen needed?
NATO planners also grapple with a maze of rules governing the exchange and movement of military equipment, not just between countries but within Germany itself. The Times reports that cross-border exercises are hampered by extensive paperwork, a delay that could cost precious time during a crisis. [citation: The Times]
For years, leaders have hoped to create a military equivalent of Schengen—facilitating unimpeded movement of personnel and material among member states. Negotiations for a series of military corridors across Europe are underway, with expected outcomes around the next NATO summit in Washington. [citation: The Times]
Sollfrank urged action: bureaucracy can be reduced or adapted where necessary, and action should start now, not wait for a crisis to arrive. He also noted that rules around who may use weapons and equipment within the alliance, a concept known as interchangeability in NATO jargon, create friction. [citation: The Times]
Maas, head of the Dutch Defense Support Command, admitted that preparations for potential action are not complete. He warned that while Europe has forged a stronger unity since February 24, 2022, more must be done to ensure deterrence translates into practical readiness for immediate deployment in an emergency. [citation: The Times]
In recent weeks, NATO officials have called for heightened combat readiness as global tensions rise. The alliance is expected to revisit its strategic planning, training, and operational concepts to ensure a rapid and credible response if needed. A key focus remains the timely deployment of armed forces and the strategic regrouping of troops, aircraft, and naval assets within and between operational zones. [citation: The Times]
Efforts to create a Schengen-like framework for military movements are viewed as essential by some, to avoid losing strategic agility in a fast-moving conflict. [citation: The Times]
The analysis here reflects ongoing discussions and does not reflect a single publisher’s stance but compiles observed assertions from multiple sources about NATO’s posture and planning in a high-threat environment. [citation: Various]