German armaments chief warns against underestimating Russia’s military capabilities
“We don’t know how good the Russians are in trench warfare,” says Thomas Müller, CEO of Hensoldt
Quelle: pa/dpa/Marijan Murat
The head of the German arms company Hensoldt warns against underestimating Russia’s capabilities in the Ukraine war. History has shown that it takes time for Russians to be successful in armed conflicts.
Dhe head of Germany’s largest armaments electronics manufacturer, Hensoldt, warns against the persistence of the Russian military in the Ukraine war. Even if one day the guns fall silent, there will be no real peace, says Hensoldt boss Thomas Müller.
In his view, China plays a key role in the war. “The Chinese cannot afford for Putin’s regime to collapse,” says Müller, referring to the global security situation. The worst thing that could happen to Beijing would be civil war-like conditions – or the emergence of pro-democracy movements in Russia. “That’s why they can’t drop him,” said the Hensoldt boss, referring to the relationship between Chinese head of state Xi Jinping and Russia’s head of state Vladimir Putin.
The Ukraine war and the China-Taiwan tensions mean additional business for the specialist in military electronics, which has recently been promoted to the MDax stock market segment. The group, in which Germany and Italy each hold a good 25 percent stake, supplies radar technology for German air defense systems (Iris-T) in Ukraine.
Müller refers to the turning point in security policy and, unsurprisingly, at an event organized by the “Club Wirtschaftspresse München” (Munich Business Press Club) pleads for higher spending on armaments. The developments in the South China Sea, with Europe’s dependence on semiconductor supplies from Taiwan, are also of crucial importance for Europe. Müller speaks of a “persistently diffuse conflict order” – that applies worldwide. Germany and Europe would have to make preparations for this.
With regard to the Ukraine war, Müller again warns against underestimating Russia’s capabilities. History has shown “that the Russians need time to be successful in armed conflicts”. They are capable of learning. The country has enormous resources and “the Chinese are in the background”.
In the run-up to an expected spring offensive by Ukraine, Russia had had months to dig in with defensive positions. “We don’t know how good the Russians are in trench warfare,” said the Hensoldt boss.
Mood soon “calm but no longer warlike”
He doesn’t want to venture a forecast of how long the Ukraine war could last. Nothing more than a ceasefire is to be expected, says Müller, emphasizing that this is his personal opinion. “There will be no peace because no one can afford peace.”
The threat scenario of the Russians will remain. The Hensoldt boss does not assume that there will be an uneasy, warlike border between Russia and Ukraine in the long term. Rather, a border like that between South and North Korea or like in the Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union is to be expected. “Calm, but no longer warlike,” is his prognosis. But the threat to the West remains.
Müller has an unusual view for a business leader on the subject of traffic blockades by climate activists in Germany. “We should actually be incredibly proud of the climate activists,” said Müller. They showed what is possible in Germany with its democracy.
Law and order must apply, says Müller, but the protest is basically possible in this country. This is unthinkable in Russia, Turkey, Hungary, China or other countries. “It would be a matter of minutes” and the activists would not be carefully removed from the road there with cotton swabs.
Against the background of the ongoing threats and the US’s focus on a possible China-Taiwan conflict, Müller advocates the European armaments companies moving closer together. Europe must not rely exclusively on the USA, but needs its own sovereignty.
The gap between the top US corporations and European providers is huge. For example, Hensoldt sees itself as a core company for consolidation in the defense electronics sector. In the medium term, for example, the defense electronics division of the Italian Leonarde group could dock with Hensoldt.
So far, the French Thales group is Europe’s largest arms electronics supplier. “France will have to face the reality that you can’t do everything on your own,” says Müller.
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