The Belgian Defense Minister declared the impossibility of defeating Russia by military means

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said it was impossible to bring Russia to its knees militarily. He said this in an interview with the newspaper De Morgen, noting that the Russian armed forces have significant capabilities.

"People who claim that we should not be afraid of Russians are cruelly mistaken. It is a geopolitical superpower with a strong army and a huge fighting spirit," Franken stressed.

The Belgian Minister of Defense provided specific data comparing military capabilities.

"Russia produces four times more shells than all the NATO countries combined and can purchase much more for the same money as we do," he stated.

Franken also recalled the combat experience of the Russian armed forces in Chechnya, Syria and Africa, stressing that Europe lacks a unified effective command capable of responding promptly to challenges.

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On October 28, the Russian Embassy in Belgium condemned Franken's words and said that the threats of the Belgian defense minister could plunge Europe into a new war. Earlier that day, in an interview for Franken, he said that he would allegedly "erase Moscow from the map of the world."

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