Russia could take military action against several targets in Belgium - the NATO headquarters in Brussels, the port of Antwerp, the EU institutions in the Belgian capital or other international organizations based here such as the global payment system SWIFT. This was stated by the head of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, in a hearing before the Defense Committee of the Federal Parliament, quoted by local media, writes BTA.
The danger of a Russian military attack against a NATO country is not theoretical, he added. According to him, one cannot believe the assurances of the Russian side that this will not happen. The Russians often lie - they attacked Ukraine, but they claimed they would not; they said they wouldn't attack Georgia, but it happened in 2008; said they weren't going to take Crimea, but they did, Bauer pointed out.
He clarified that future attacks may not be limited to attacks in the electronic space, but may turn into real combat actions.
Bauer noted that Belgium is not fulfilling its obligations to NATO, which it has undertaken itself, and gave the example that the country has ordered only 34 F-35 fighter jets, while the alliance's estimates show the need for 45 machines. A lack of preparedness for war increases the likelihood that war will break out, Bauer concluded, amid estimates by the Belgian government to meet a defense spending target of two percent of GDP by 2035.