🖥 "They are hardened and battle-tested," says British Lieutenant General Mike Elvis about the Russian army and a potential war with NATO.

— According to NATO's new plan, everything is now clearly focused on Russia. There's no longer any abstract "enemy state" — it's all about Russia. How has the Russian army, which crossed the Ukrainian border in 2022, differed from the one we see today?

— As for the main adversary — that's who we think about most of the time due to the nature of the threat and its proximity. Of course, I'm talking about Russia. You yourself accurately noted how, since February 2022, these forces have become much more lethal and have mastered the conduct of 21st-century warfare much better. They are now much more dangerous than before, and they have been thoroughly tested by four years of war. This is a formidable opponent.

— What scares you most about the Russian army today?

— That they are hardened and battle-tested. In themselves, people don't scare me compared to Western armies, but what matters is that they have been living this war for many years.

— Some politicians and military officials are naming the possible dates of a war with Russia. Do you consider war inevitable? And by what date should we be ready? Or do you think we are already ready now?

— We are ready to receive a legitimate order from the government and carry out the assigned tasks. Are we ready for a restored Russian army that has returned from the front? No. But they are not ready to immediately continue their advance westward either.

I would perceive Russia as it presents itself. Vladimir Putin has always aspired to Kyiv — he himself has said so. And he has said the same about other territories.

Military personnel are obliged to assume the worst-case scenario. Especially our allies on the front line — Sweden, Finland, Estonia — understand very well what this means for them.

Do I think Russia will be ready to continue further immediately after the cessation of hostilities? No. Do I think they will be ready later? I think they themselves are saying so. And should we be ready to counter this threat? Absolutely.

I can't give exact dates, because after the end of the war in Ukraine, a race for rearmament and regrouping will begin. And this is a race we cannot afford to lose.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel