Germany expands its Schakal fleet as Finland's president rejects a 2029 NATO attack warning
Germany ordered 35 more Schakal infantry fighting vehicles for NATO's eastern flank, calling the type the backbone of new medium forces built to move fast and fight heavy opponents. In a separate interview, Finland's president said he saw no evidence Russia could attack a NATO country by 2029, diverging from Berlin's warning while urging the alliance to stay prepared.
Geopolitics··Midday
Berlin orders more Schakal vehicles for the eastern flank
The Bundeswehr ordered a further 35 Schakal infantry fighting vehicles on top of an original 150, in a contract that also covers logistics, training and operations. The German army describes the Schakal as the backbone of its Medium Forces, a category meant to cover long distances quickly and still fight a heavily armed opponent. Officials pointed to NATO's eastern flank as the reason for the purchase. The vehicle sits between heavy tracked types such as the Puma and lighter models such as the Dingo, using an eight-wheeled Boxer chassis with an unmanned RCT-30 turret and a 30 mm automatic cannon. It also carries the MELLS guided-missile system and can engage drones and aircraft. First deliveries are scheduled from the end of 2027, while standing up units, spare parts, ammunition and training structures will take longer. Germany is running other large procurement programmes at the same time for main battle tanks, artillery and air defence.[1]
Stubb challenges the 2029 attack assessment
Alexander Stubb told Germany's Bild in an interview published on Saturday that he sees neither evidence nor facts behind assessments that Russia could be in a position to attack a NATO country by 2029. He said testing the alliance's resolve would make no sense for any power, while adding that intelligence information stood behind his judgement. Stubb also said NATO has to be prepared for any scenario. He said Russia was losing about 30,000 to 35,000 troops a month in Ukraine while recruiting around 27,000, leaving it with fewer soldiers in an increasingly complex situation, and that he could not see it mobilising forces for two fronts. He described Ukraine as the best security guarantee Europe has against Russia and said continued European support was vital. Finland dropped its neutrality and joined NATO in 2023, a year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.[2]
Western officials still warn of hybrid risks
Western officials have separately warned of a growing risk of Russian hybrid operations, including cyber attacks, that carry a risk of direct confrontation with the alliance. Stubb's comments nevertheless put a public gap between Helsinki and Berlin over how soon a conventional Russian attack on NATO territory should be treated as a realistic planning assumption. The Schakal order shows Berlin is still investing in mobile firepower for the flank regardless of that debate. Standing up the new medium forces will extend well beyond the vehicle deliveries scheduled from late 2027.[2], [1]
