A Russian general has threatened the West with “large-scale war in Europe” as the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate “significantly”.
The comments from Colonel-General Vladimir Zarudnitsky, who is the head of Russia’s Military Academy of the General Staff, were published in Military Thought – a publication run by the country’s defence ministry.
Worryingly, he said a future war in Europe “cannot be ruled out”.
According to RIA, he said: “The possibility of an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine – from the expansion of participants in ‘proxy forces’ used for military confrontation with Russia to a large-scale war in Europe – cannot be ruled out.
“The likelihood of our state being purposefully drawn into new military conflicts is significantly increasing.”
Zarudnitsky also said that the most pressing military threat to Russia is from the US and its allies.
He said: “The main source of military threats to our state is the anti-Russian policy of the United States and its allies, who are conducting a new type of hybrid warfare in order to weaken Russia in every possible way, limit its sovereignty and destroy its territorial integrity.
“The likelihood of our state being purposefully drawn into new military conflicts is significantly increasing.”
The senior Russian general has previously advocated for changes in how the country’s military is organized.
He has also said that placing more emphasis on relying on “friendly” countries to ensure Russia’s security and defence needs.
Zarudnitsky’s comments come at a time when the West are continuing to send military and financial aid to Ukraine.
Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that any chance of success for Ukraine is heavily reliant on Western support.
It said in a report: “Continued delays in Western security assistance will likely postpone Ukrainian efforts to regain the theatre-wide initiative. Material shortages are forcing Ukrainian forces to husband material and uncertainty about future assistance is likely constraining Ukrainian operational planning.”
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