Germany's Air Force Chief: We are ready to defend against Russia 'tonight'

Germany's air force chief, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, declared the nation's military is prepared to repel Russian aggression "tonight" and strike Russian targets in Kaliningrad, the Kola Peninsula, and St. Petersburg if necessary. He stressed that NATO's collective security is indivisible, asserting that an attack on any member, be it Estonia or the United Kingdom, would be met with an equal response.

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We will use everything we have – the air force, as well as NATO forces – to defend our country, our values, our citizens, and the alliance.

"There must be no different security levels, NATO is NATO to the last centimeter," Gerhartz stated, highlighting the need for vigilance and readiness in specific regions. He projected that any NATO defensive response to Russian aggression would be "crushing," involving the air forces of all 32 member states in combat operations.

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There must be no different security levels, NATO is NATO to the last centimeter.

Gerhartz acknowledged that Russia's air and space forces should not be underestimated. He pointed to the Russian military's "high level of adaptation" and its learning from the ongoing war in Ukraine, contrasting it with NATO's largely peacetime posture. He specifically mentioned advanced Russian aircraft like the Su-35 "Flanker" and Su-57 "Felon," as well as the MiG-31 "Foxhound," and noted the threat posed by various missiles, including cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic variants.

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Fighting tonight would mean that if someone called me now and said that such a situation had arisen and we had to be ready – and we are ready.

Despite these acknowledgments, Gerhartz reiterated Germany's commitment to using its air force and NATO assets to defend the country, its values, citizens, and the alliance. The statement underscores a heightened state of alert and preparedness within the German military in response to perceived Russian threats.

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Russian military actions in Ukraine over more than four years have improved. There are very powerful weapons there, for example, Su-35 "Flanker" or Su-57 "Felon" fighters.