Russia is likely to test NATO’s collective defense pledge very soon, Sweden’s top military official said, as Moscow escalates its campaign of hybrid attacks against Europe.
“I’m sure and I’m convinced that they would be ready to test Article 5 of NATO at any point in the Baltic states or in some other part of Europe as well,” Swedish Chief of Defense Gen. Michael Claesson told POLITICO, referring to the alliance’s common defense provision.
“They are prepared to take enormous strategic risks to gain whatever they see possible to gain,” he added, pointing to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s past military campaigns. “We have seen it since Chechnya, we have seen it in Georgia, we have seen it in Crimea.”
Yes I am aware, we built an air dropped meat grinder called the R9X that can be delivered via drone and many many other creative explosive devices of all kinds. China’s 003 is close to fully operational but aside from that and France no one else has CATOBAR carriers loaded with 5th gen jets and the Fujian is still diesel powered. Europe is not entirely defenseless but the vast majority of NATO firepower comes from USA, and sadly we are not a reliable ally. Saab is already learning this from countries rethinking their purchase of the F-35.