NATO plans major medical evacuation for wounded soldiers in case of war with Russia
Illustrative image (Getty Images)
NATO is planning to coordinate the transportation of large numbers of wounded soldiers from the front line in the event of war with Russia. Ground transportation is being considered, as evacuation by air may not be possible, according to Alexander Sollfrank, the head of NATO's logistics command.
As Sollfrank explained, future medical evacuation scenarios will be different from the experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, as the conflict with Russia will involve a much larger combat zone, more wounded, and a temporary lack of air superiority near the contact line.
The challenge, he said, will be to quickly provide quality medical care to, in the worst case, a large number of wounded.
"Air superiority will have to be achieved in the first place. It will require time to succeed over the entire length and depth of the front line. For planning reasons, all options to take a great number of wounded to medical installations need to be considered, which includes trains but potentially also buses," Sollfrank added.
The risk of war between Russia and NATO
The German agency Bild previously published a scenario of military exercises in which Germany's armed forces were preparing for possible hybrid attacks from Russia on NATO’s eastern flank. A NATO spokesperson commented on the publication, stating that exercise scenarios are always fictitious situations designed to assess military capabilities in specific regions.
Lithuania's Ministry of Defense also addressed the matter, indicating that there is currently no threat from Russia to NATO, as Moscow is focused on the war in Ukraine.
Recently, Finland's new President expressed the view that a Russian attack on his country, now a NATO member, seems unlikely.
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