“Navalny’s death is a signal from Putin”
Military expert misses Scholz’s word on the danger of war
February 23, 2024, 1:08 a.m
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Military expert Masala sees Navalny’s murder during the Munich Security Conference as an extended middle finger towards NATO. He wished that the Chancellor would prepare German society more strongly for realistic Russian aggression.
Military expert Carlo Masala sees the sudden death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny as a clear message from Russian President Vladimir Putin to the West. “This is a clear signal from Putin: He has absolutely no interest in cooperation or negotiations with the so-called West with a view to Ukraine or Russia’s future in the international system,” Masala told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
Navalny’s death didn’t shock him – but the timing did. “On the day that Ukraine concludes a security treaty with Germany and France and the Munich Security Conference takes place next to it, the middle finger is extended from Moscow,” said Masala.
The military expert called on the federal government to step up efforts against hybrid warfare by Russia. “The government must make it clear to the population that, on the one hand, we are already exposed to hybrid attacks from the Russian Federation,” Masala told the Funke newspapers.
On the other hand, it is important to communicate that “the scenario of limited Russian aggression against a NATO member state is not unrealistic.” If the Chancellor were to say that, it would have “a different quality,” according to Masala. Recently, the Social Democratic Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in particular pointed out the need to make the Bundeswehr “war-ready” for Russian aggression.
Society needs to change mindset
Masala explained that at the same time the mindset in society had to change. It’s about understanding that we live in a “potentially war-threatening situation.” “If society doesn’t support this view, then it doesn’t matter what the Bundeswehr does. Then we won’t be able to defend our society in an alliance case.”
Almost two years after the Russian attack on Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov spoke last week of a war with the entire Western world. President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said this, according to Russian agency reports. “The special military operation began as an operation against Ukraine,” Peskov was quoted as saying. “Over time it has taken the form of a war against the collective West.”