German troops ready to kill Russian soldiers if NATO attacked - Pistorius
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (Getty Images)
German troops will be ready to kill Russian soldiers in the event of a Russian attack on a NATO member state, said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, according to the Financial Times.
According to Pistorius, the German military — long shaped by a culture of restraint in response to the horrors of World War II — would be prepared to kill Russian soldiers if Moscow attacked a NATO member state.
He added that if deterrence fails and Russia does strike, German troops are fully aware of their mission and responsibilities, pointing to the German brigade stationed in Vilnius as an example.
NATO preparing for possible war with Russia
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, concerns over potential Russian aggression have grown across Europe, prompting many countries to ramp up military preparedness — including rearming their forces and developing plans to repel a possible attack.
Recently, it was revealed that the German military had drafted a strategic document identifying Russia as an "existential risk" to both Germany and Europe as a whole.
Earlier, Germany's Bundeswehr warned that Russia was preparing for war with NATO and could be ready for it by the end of this decade, according to a military report obtained by German media.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said that Russia could attack a NATO member within the next five years to test the strength of the Alliance.
In addition, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that China might push Russia to attack NATO countries in order to distract the Alliance from the Asia-Pacific region.
He believes that if Beijing decides to move on Taiwan, it is highly likely that it would use Russia to launch an assault on Europe.
