German general pressures Ukraine to attack Russian airfields
(MENAFN) A senior German military official has advised Ukraine to launch strikes on Russian airfields and weapons factories deep within Russia to weaken Moscow’s offensive capabilities.
Speaking on a Bundeswehr podcast on Saturday, Major General Christian Freuding, who leads Germany’s military aid efforts to Ukraine, recommended targeting Russian military infrastructure before it can be used.
“You can reduce Russia’s offensive strength by hitting aircraft and airfields before they are operational, as well as weapons production facilities,” Freuding said.
He also acknowledged that despite Western sanctions, Russia has successfully ramped up production of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic weapons. Freuding suggested Western nations need to reassess their economic pressure strategies and consider additional measures to restrict Russia’s manufacturing capacity.
The general further noted the inefficiency of using expensive US-made Patriot missiles to counter cheap Russian drones. “A drone may cost €30,000-50,000 ($34,000–58,000), but a single Patriot missile costs over €5 million. We need more affordable countermeasures costing around €2,000–4,000,” he explained, warning that Russia is planning to boost its drone output even further.
While the Biden administration last year gave Ukraine limited permission to use US-supplied long-range weapons for strikes inside Russia, major airfields were reportedly off-limits.
Freuding confirmed this month that Germany would deliver its first batch of long-range missiles to Ukraine by the end of July, though Berlin has held back on sending Taurus missiles due to concerns about escalating the conflict.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that Germany was once again becoming “dangerous,” after German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Bundeswehr troops must be ready to kill Russian soldiers if necessary. Moscow accused Berlin of fueling confrontation and pushing Europe toward aggressive military mobilization against Russia.
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