Vladimir Putin could be ready to launch war on Nato as early as 2026 says startling new German intelligence analysis

Russia is preparing for a full-scale conflict with the West in 2026, according to a secret German intelligence report seen by Business Insider.

A shocking new analysis warns of a “significant intensification” of Russian weapons production, which could see Russia “double its military power in the next five years” and wage war on NATO territory as early as 2026.

Predictions about Russia’s increasing arms race have led intelligence services to conclude that an attack deeper into Europe in the next two years “can no longer be ruled out,” the paper said.

NATO is believed to share similar concerns about the recent escalations, but does not see the West necessarily being drawn into a direct conflict with Russia, according to Business Insider. German authorities have not yet made the statements public report notes.

But tensions have soared in recent weeks, with Putin’s presidential elections undermined this weekend by angry demonstrations and attacks from Ukraine, and French President Emmanuel Macron still to refuse to rule out sending troops east to face Russia’s bloody invasion head-on.

The deployment of missiles in western Russia, the reorganization of the army, troop movements and the expansion of weapons production are all mentioned in the alarming conclusion of German intelligence services, the newspaper said.

They argue that Russia could attack at least part of NATO territory west of Ukraine, such as the Baltic states or Finland, within two years.

Earlier this year, threat casting group T-Intelligence estimated Russia saw 2024 as a “waypoint to achieving complete victory,” with the aim of bringing the war to a head between 2025 and 2027.

They also noted that despite the intense losses on the front lines, Russia’s defense industry is “ready to continue to intensify production in crucial areas,” including the construction of new tanks, armored vehicles, loitering munitions, drones, artillery ammunition and slide bomb kits. .

Russia was also expected to experience a “moderate uptick” in long-range missile production in 2024.

This year alone, Moscow appears to be spending an estimated $140 billion on defense, or about 7.1 percent of GDP. Defense spending will take up about 35 percent of the 2024 state budget – an increase of 30 percent compared to 2023.

Ukraine will spend an estimated $44 billion on defense this year, or roughly 22.1 percent of GDP, 50.54 percent of the state budget.

Ukraine also receives significant aid from abroad, but there is skepticism about how much agreement is likely to be reached, as political actors clash over support for major donations.

On Wednesday, the US said it would send about $300 million in aid to Ukraine, the Defense Department’s first announced security package since December.

But it comes at a time when some $60 billion in aid is being held up by Republican opposition, at a critical time for the war.

As pressure mounts, France’s Emmanuel Macron has taken a much tougher stance on Russia, refusing to back down from comments that he would send troops to Ukraine if necessary.

In late February, Putin warned Macron that if France sent troops to Ukraine, they would suffer the same fate as Napoleon Bonaparte’s Grand Armee, whose 1812 invasion ended in staggering defeat and enormous losses.

On Thursday, the French president reaffirmed that European security in Ukraine is “at stake,” adding that a Russian victory would “reduce Europe’s credibility to zero.”

The Kiel Institute notes France has pledged 1.79 billion euros in spending to Ukraine, or 0.067 percent of GDP.

Since the start of the war, Britain has pledged 15.66 billion euros to Ukraine, or 0.55 percent of GDP.

Germany has also committed a significant amount to Ukrainian defense, with aid amounting to 22 billion euros, or 0.57 percent of GDP.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned in January that Russia could attack a NATO member state within five to eight years.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has also done so insisted Members must be ready for a decades-long standoff with Russia, if necessary.

NATO continues to conduct the largest series of joint exercises since the Cold War with Exercise Steadfast Defender 24, bringing together some 90,000 troops from all 32 countries to train together.

Britain’s 65,000-ton aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales was photographed earlier this week leading a fleet of ships from the US, Spain, Norway, Italy, Germany and France.

Six Finnish F18s and two Swedish JAS-39s also took part in a flypast.

Land, sea and air exercises took place along Norway’s Arctic coast this week, involving more than 20,000 troops, more than 50 frigates, submarines and other ships, and some 110 fighter jets, helicopters and other aircraft.

Despite the show of force, military experts have warned that Britain is woefully underprepared for conflict.

The gaps in the British Armed Forces were further undermined by this year’s Spring Budget, in which Chancellor Jeremy Hunt refused to spend additional money on the British Armed Forces.

Lord West of Spithead, a former admiral of the Royal Navy, told MailOnline: ‘I am absolutely astounded that the Government have not increased defense spending in this Budget. It’s extraordinary.

“They have said that we could soon be in a war and that we must be prepared to fight. In that case, the armed forces will be insufficiently equipped and a much larger number of people will be eligible for the Invictus games.’

Former army commander Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told the Mail: ‘This was the one time when the budget should not ignore defence, when the threats have never been greater and our conventional capabilities are not deterring Vladimir Putin.

“Some of our allies are clearly looking shaky. Nothing else matters if we can’t defend ourselves.

‘The vodka will undoubtedly flow in the Kremlin. The budget makes it abundantly clear that the defense of the kingdom is not an issue for the government and probably not for the opposition either. This is incredibly short-sighted.’

Defense Secretary Grant Shapps claimed at the time: ‘As we aim to spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defense as quickly as possible, we have secured a real increase and the largest defense budget in history, reducing spending by £1. 4 have increased. billion to £55.6 billion.”