Switzerland currently does not have sufficient capabilities to fully defend itself in the event of a large-scale armed attack.
This was stated by the commander-in-chief of the country's Armed Forces, Thomas Süssli, in an interview with the Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper.
Commenting on the likelihood of war between NATO and russia in the next five years, the general noted that there are no accurate forecasts. At the same time, according to European intelligence services, Moscow is preparing for a further escalation of the confrontation with the West. According to estimates by a number of European defense ministers and military leaders, the russian federation may be ready to expand the war around 2028.
"These are not prophecies, but warnings. They are designed to ensure that Europe will do everything possible to prevent such a situation from occurring at all. I was at the Warsaw Security Forum in October. No one there asked whether russia was a threat, but only how to counter it," Süssli noted.
According to him, the Kremlin is seeking to restore its status as a "great power" and is trying to weaken and divide Europe through hybrid attacks, the use of drones, sabotage and disinformation campaigns.
Switzerland is already experiencing cyberattacks, information influence and espionage. According to national intelligence, more than 80 russian citizens associated with russian special services live in the country. At the same time, no cases of physical sabotage have been recorded on Swiss territory, while more than 60 similar incidents related to the russian federation are known in other European countries.
The commander-in-chief noted that the country is capable of countering attacks by non-state actors on critical infrastructure and providing support in cyberspace. However, according to him, Switzerland is not ready to protect against threats at a long distance or to repel a full-scale invasion.
In the coming days, Thomas Süssli will step down as commander-in-chief of the Swiss Armed Forces after six years in office.
Russia could rebuild its military forces to attack a NATO member state sooner than expected. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the initial forecast was for 2029, but the Alliance is now preparing for an attack even earlier.
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