NATO's top military commander has warned that the alliance is "ready to fight tonight" if attacked, as fears of Russian aggression against the Western alliance soar. Supreme Allied Commander US General Alexus Grynkewich said if Russia decides to attack NATO, the alliance will respond by using sensors, autonomous systems and military force to stop any assault.
No imminent conflict, but prepare for war
Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, he said he does not believe that a conflict is imminent or inevitable, and that the most effective way to preserve peace is to prepare for war and to maintain open lines of communication to "resolve misunderstandings". Mr Grynkewich provided no specific details about what kind of attack NATO is preparing for, nor where or with what kind of forces.
Outlining what a response to a Russian attack could look like, he said NATO's combined land, sea and air forces will move to stop Moscow seizing territory and deny Russia the ability to hold ground.
'We will block the initial attack'
He told the conference: "My theory of victory is simple. We will block the initial attack. If the attack persists, we will blunt it and prevent any enemy advance. And if required, we will break the enemy's forces and the operational war-fighting system arrayed against us."
That includes not just the attacking force but anything and everything that supports, sustains and controls it, he said. It is important, Mr Grynkewich said, that alliance members coordinate a "coherent" response to Russian activity to make it clear to Moscow "where our red lines are".
Warnings of covert attacks and sabotage
The response to increased Russian malign activity and sabotage, he said, should be to double down on support for Ukraine. In recent weeks, senior European officials and intelligence services have warned that Russia may be planning to test the NATO alliance with increased covert attacks or even an incursion after a spate of sabotage incidents across the continent.
Denmark's defence intelligence service specifically warned Russia could use such tactics to split the NATO alliance. An attack on any NATO member state could prompt the victim to trigger Article 5, the core collective defence clause within the alliance, which in turn could see the whole group at war with Moscow.
