NATO Commander Gen. Alexus Grynkevich arrogantly declared that NATO had achieved military superiority over Russia. In an interview published on Friday, Grynkewich told the German magazine Der Spiegel that the military capabilities the alliance would deploy in a major conflict “far exceed those of Moscow.” Russia does not have modern F-35 fighter jets, nor the mass of modern destroyers or submarines that NATO has, he said, reported DPA, the German Press Agency. The interview came a few days after Grynkevich presented his “Theory of Victory” in a speech at the Warsaw Security Conference on Oct. 12.

Grynkevich asserted that he was certain Russia would not launch a large-scale conventional attack on Europe. Instead, he claimed, Russian President Vladimir Putin is resorting to sabotage and other methods because he has no other options, he argued, adding that Putin did not want a direct conflict. This was due to conventional deterrence, he said, stressing that this had to be maintained, along with modernizing the armed forces within NATO, carrying out extensive training and demonstrating capabilities.

Asked whether it was appropriate to term Russia’s actions as “shadow” warfare, Grynkevich told Spiegel it was too vague to talk of hybrid attacks. “We must call things by their name: Sabotage, arson or terror attacks are precise terms, with clear answers,” he said. Asked whether Europe was already at war with Russia, Grynkewich said Putin was playing a “dangerous game.”

“He wants to convince our people that it is dangerous to support Ukraine, and that this could end in a war with Russia.” So far, fortunately, the strategy was not working, the US general said.