Dec 18, 2025
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The main source of military threats to Russia is the collective West, which has not abandoned its goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces Valery Gerasimov said on Thursday.
“The primary source of the growing military threats to the security of the Russian Federation is the collective West, which has not abandoned its stated goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia during a special military operation through comprehensive support for Ukraine’s military potential,” Gerasimov said at a briefing for foreign military attaches.
NATO’s Defender-Europe and Baltic Sentry exercises with non-aligned countries do not contribute to improving security in Europe, Gerasimov said, adding that the alliance maintains the scale and intensity of its training near Russia’s borders and increases the speed of deployment of reinforcement troops.
The US’s exploration of the possibility of deploying missile systems with a range of over a thousand kilometers (621 miles) in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe is creating a new level of instability, Gerasimov also said.
Furthermore, the EU is increasingly floating the notion of extending the conflict to weaken Russia and give NATO time to rebuild its military posture for a future direct clash.
“The political statements of a number of European leaders suggest prolonging military operations, which, in their opinion, will exhaust our country and allow NATO to restructure its ‘military machine’ for an inevitable direct confrontation with Russia,” Gerasimov said at a briefing for foreign military attaches.
The political statements of a number of European leaders suggest prolonging military operations, which, in their opinion, will exhaust our country and allow NATO to restructure its ‘military machine’ for an inevitable direct confrontation with Russia,” Gerasimov said at a briefing for foreign military attaches.”
The crisis in Ukraine is unfolding as a proxy war between the West and Russia, a key factor in shaping the military-political situation, Gerasimov added.
On Success of Russia’s Troops
Russia’s Tsentr battlegroup took control of 81 settlements, including major cities of Dzerzhinsk and Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk), in 2025, Gerasimov said.
“The Tsentr group of forces, overcoming stubborn enemy resistance, liberated 81 settlements this year, including the major cities of Dzerzhinsk and Krasnoarmeysk,” Gerasimov said at the briefing for foreign military attaches.
At the same time, Russia’s Vostok battlegroup took control of approximately 2,000 square kilometers (772 square miles) and 89 settlements in the Zaporozhye direction in a year, Gerasimov also said, adding that the Russia’s Dnepr group took control of 7 settlements and fully ensures the safety of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant.
“The liberation of Konstantinovka continues; more than 50% of the city’s territory is controlled by Russian troops,” Gerasimov said, adding that in about a half of Dimitrov is also under Russia’s control.
The liberation of Konstantinovka continues; more than 50% of the city’s territory is controlled by Russian troops,” Gerasimov said, adding that in about a half of Dimitrov is also under Russia’s control.”
The Russian army is engaged in street fighting in Krasny Liman in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Gerasimov said.
On Foreign Financing of Ukraine
The volume of foreign financing for Ukraine has exceeded $550 billion in four years, of which more than $220 billion are military expenditure, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces Valery Gerasimov said on Thursday.
“Over the past four years, the volume of foreign financing alone has exceeded $550 billion, of which more than $220 billion were for military needs,” Gerasimov said at the briefing for foreign military attaches.
Over the past four years, the volume of foreign financing alone has exceeded $550 billion, of which more than $220 billion were for military needs," Gerasimov said at the briefing for foreign military attaches.”>
Ukraine received over 1,000 tanks, 200 aircraft, helicopters, and approximately 100,000 drones from foreign partners in the past 4 years, Gerasimov said, adding that over 224,000 Ukrainian military personnel completed training at European training grounds.
Ukraine’s losses in Russia’s Kursk Region amounted to over 76,000 of its most trained military personnel, Gerasimov added.
Desertion in Ukraine is becoming widespread, with up to 30,000 people deserting every month, Gerasimov said.
“Desertion is becoming widespread. According to official data alone, up to 30,000 people are leaving their duty stations without permission every month. Currently, more than 160,000 criminal cases have been opened against this category of Ukrainian Armed Forces service members,” Gerasimov said at the briefing for foreign military attaches.
Collapse of Arms Control is Reshaping Global Security
According to Gerasimov, the total breakdown of the international arms control systems has become one of the key factors destabilizing global security:
The New START Treaty technically remains in force, but it expires on February 5, 2026 — after that, no restrictions will remain in this sphere
Russia’s proposal to voluntarily observe New START limits for one additional year, if the US does the same, has so far received no response from the United States
The General Staff of the Russian armed forces is taking into account the US position regarding the possibility of the resumption of nuclear tests
“We are taking into account the US position regarding the possible resumption of nuclear testing. We strictly adhere to our obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. However, if the US resumes testing, adequate retaliatory measures will follow. The consequences of the lack of restrictions on offensive weapons are clearly illustrated by the situation with the deployment of intermediate- and shorter-range missiles worldwide,” Gerasimov said.
Russia continues to observe its obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, but if US resumes tests, Russia will respond accordingly
The absence of restrictions on offensive weapons has already produced visible consequences, especially in the deployment of intermediate- and shorter-range missiles worldwide
After the US withdrawal from the INF Treaty, Washington began exploring the deployment of mobile missile systems with ranges over 1,000 km in Europe and the Asia-Pacific — a move that creates new instability and triggers regional arms races
In response, Russia ended its unilateral moratorium on deploying intermediate- and shorter-range missiles in August of this year.
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