Official statements from NATO or Russian government, major news outlets reporting on military engagement

Russia Prepares for NATO Conflict in Europe Within Next Decade, Cites 560,000 Ukrainian Losses

Dec 16, 2024, 11:18 AM

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov has stated that Russia must be prepared for a potential military conflict with NATO in Europe within the next decade. This statement was made during an expanded meeting of the College of the Ministry of National Defense, where Belousov highlighted that NATO's decisions at the July summit and military doctrines indicate the possibility of such a conflict. He also mentioned that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have suffered significant losses, with over 560,000 servicemen killed or wounded in 2024 alone, and nearly a million since the beginning of the conflict. President Vladimir Putin, also present at the meeting, emphasized that Russia is not at war with the Ukrainian people but with what he described as the 'neo-Nazi regime' in Kyiv.