Head of the Russian delegation at the Vienna talks on military security and arms control, Ms. Yulia Zhdanova, said that many countries in the European Union (EU) are preparing infrastructure to meet the requirements in the event of a large-scale military conflict.
According to TASS news agency, the above statement was made by Ms. Zhdanova at the regular meeting of the Forum for Security Cooperation (FSC) under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on July 15.
According to Ms. Zhdanova, infrastructure adjustment is part of a process that she describes as Western countries preparing to operate in conditions of large-scale armed conflict.
She said that one of the focused contents is to adjust the civil transport and logistics system to meet the requirements of military planning as well as improve the mobility of the armed forces.
According to the Russian representative, some projects in this direction have been implemented in Europe. She cited the example of the Netherlands, where the country's government announced that it had completed 4 research programs related to the field of logistics last month.
Ms. Zhdanova also said that Dutch authorities are considering the possibility of issuing regulations allowing the government to intervene in the operations of private enterprises to request the implementation of orders to serve defense needs when necessary.
That is not the only case," Ms. Zhdanova said, but did not give further specific examples of other countries.
According to TASS, Ms. Zhdanova did not provide further evidence or detailed information to prove the claim that EU countries are preparing infrastructure for a large-scale military conflict.
The above statements were made in the context that many European countries have increased defense spending, invested in transport infrastructure, logistics and defense industry capacity in recent times. Many countries have also implemented programs to improve military mobility and strengthen coordination within the framework of NATO and the EU.
Meanwhile, EU and NATO member states have repeatedly affirmed that activities to upgrade infrastructure and strengthen defense capabilities are aimed at strengthening defense capabilities, improving response capabilities to security challenges and ensuring security for member states, instead of preparing for a conflict.
