NATO's Top General Warns That Russia Is 'Closing The Gap'

Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, NATO Supreme Allied Commander, speaks to members of U.S. European Command about his four command priorities at Patch Barracks, Germany, Sept. 20, 2017. MARTIN GREESON/U.S. ARMY

Stars and Stripes: Russia closing gap with NATO, top US general in Europe warns

STUTTGART Germany — NATO’s military edge over Russia could soon be threatened if allies fail to keep adapting, the alliance’s top general warned on Wednesday.

U.S. Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said Russia’s military modernization efforts are challenging allies in a range of areas such as cybersecurity.

“Because of the modernization they’ve made, while we are dominant, we will not be in five years ... if we are not adapting,” Scaparrotti said during a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Scaparrotti, who also serves as head of U.S. European Command, said he and his Russian counterpart, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, have agreed to meet soon in an effort to improve communication and reduce the risks miscalculation. The meeting would be the first face-to-face encounter between the top NATO and Russian commanders since Moscow’s 2014 intervention in Ukraine.

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WNU Editor:  The U.S. and NATO spend 20x what Russia spends on defense .... Russia will not close the gap with NATO.

Update: I said 50x earlier .... it is actually around 20x

Estonian Commander: Russia 'Simulated A Large-Scale Attack Against NATO' During Last Year's Zapad Military Exercises

Russia simulated going to war against NATO, bombing Germany and invading Baltic states during its 'West 2017' military exercises

Daily Mail: Russia 'simulated a large-scale attack against NATO' during last year's Zapad military exercises, Estonian commander says

* War games featuring thousands of soldiers took place in Belarus in September
* Russia claimed that they were defensive in nature with foreign monitors present
* Estonian General said they simulated a 'large-scale military attack against Nato'
* Games shows Russia's ability to build up its troops with very little notice, he said

Russia simulated a 'large-scale military attack against Nato' in its war games in September, the commander of the Estonian Defence Forces has claimed.

A massive programme of war games featuring tens of thousands of troops and code named 'Zapad' took place near the Belarus capital Minsk in September.

Estonian Defence Forces General Riho Terras has confirmed that the exercises were a simulation of a conflict with the US-led Nato alliance.

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WNU Editor: These claims have been circulating since last year .... European Analysts Believe A Recent Russian Military Exercise Was A Simulation To Invade The Baltics (December 20, 2017). Others also believe that these fears have been exaggerated .... Russia's Zapad 2017 Military Exercises Are Not As Big As Some Are Saying (September 16, 2018)

More News On Estonia's Top Commander Claiming That Russia 'Simulated A Large-Scale Attack Against NATO' During Last Year's Zapad Military Exercises

Russia Practiced a Large Military Attack Against Western Europe in 2017, Estonia Defense Leader Claims -- Newsweek
Russia 'simulated full-scale war' against Nato, says military commander -- The Independent
Estonian defense chief: Zapad simulated large-scale military attack against NATO -- Baltic Times
Russia launched 'full-scale war' simulation against Nato, commander claims -- Express