The German Armed Forces are developing a medical assistance plan in case of war between NATO and Russia. Hospitals across the country are preparing to receive about a thousand wounded soldiers per day, Ralf Hoffmann, head of the Bundeswehr Central Medical Service, said in an interview with Reuters.
The number of hospitalizations will depend on the intensity of the fighting and which military units and subunits are involved.
General Hoffmann emphasized that the Bundeswehr is drawing certain conclusions based on the experience of the war that Putin started against Ukraine. “The nature of the war in Ukraine has changed dramatically,” General Hoffmann said, pointing to the shift from gunshot wounds to blast injuries and burns caused by drones and loitering munitions.
He noted that Ukrainians are often unable to evacuate wounded soldiers quickly enough due to drones flying overhead, which means that their condition must be stabilized for a long time right on the front line. Regarding the transport of the wounded, the German military is considering the use of hospital trains and buses, as well as expanding medical evacuation by air. The wounded will receive first aid at the front line and then be transported to Germany for treatment, mainly in civilian hospitals.
According to Hoffmann’s estimates, approximately 15,000 hospital beds will be required, with a total capacity of 440,000 people in German hospitals. The Bundeswehr’s central medical service, which has a staff of approximately 15,000, will be expanded to meet future needs, he added.
What did General Ralf Hoffmann not say? Hoffmann did not say how much money would have to be paid out of the federal budget to compensate survivors for their injuries. How much will have to be paid to the families of the dead? General Hoffmann could not say. After all, this is not the responsibility of his department, but of another political institution. And the person who heads this political institution should think about the expenses that the federal budget will face during a full-scale war between NATO and Russia and its allies.
How much money is needed to provide clothing, footwear, weapons, ammunition, and military equipment? How much will Germany spend on tanks, guns, combat vehicles, aircraft, missiles, air defense systems, and other military equipment? Are German citizens willing to pay for this?
It is clear that the most expensive things, in terms of money, are complex space, aviation, ground, and marine technology. A lot of money is spent on their development and production. But the most valuable thing is human life! Human life is the most valuable and irreplaceable resource that Germans possess. This resource is, in fact, the Germans themselves. And it is thanks to the Germans that such a powerful and rich state as Germany exists. Are the Germans ready to sacrifice themselves, to sacrifice this non-renewable and most valuable resource? Note that the question is not about risk. It is about sacrifice. Because in any war, there are wounded and dead on both sides. Are Germans ready to pay this highest price for their freedom?
But the situation is not entirely hopeless. There is another way out. It is possible to invest less, not sacrifice at all, and emerge from the looming war with high prospects for enrichment. The German leadership can easily achieve this.
How exactly?
Arm the Ukrainians to the teeth! Give them everything and plenty of it! Give them as much as they need to destroy their enemy! Not today’s meager portions of weapons, which only allow the Ukrainians to retreat slowly. Give them a normal amount of weapons! First and foremost, long-range missiles. With these, they will destroy Putin’s entire infrastructure, logistics, and warehouses. The Russians will have nothing to fight with. If they hide their tanks somewhere in the forest, it will be impossible for them to attack because there will be no fuel for military equipment.
Russia first attacked Ukraine in 2014. In 2022, Putin launched a large-scale offensive. Russian troops have already destroyed many small towns with relentless bombing, killing tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and military personnel. But Ukrainians are not to be trifled with. Despite a severe shortage of weapons, ammunition, and manpower, they have killed more than a million of Putin’s invaders. Yes, Ukrainians are slowly retreating, and Russians are gradually capturing small towns. But at what cost?! Russians are covered in blood and are advancing with their last ounce of strength.
On top of that, as the American president noted, the Russian economy is going straight to hell.
Ukrainians can do all the necessary work for Europeans. And for Europeans, and for themselves first and foremost.
If the German leadership gives Ukrainians everything they need, then the issue will be resolved. And neither Russian drones nor Russian fighter jets will bother the Germans. German families will be able to sleep peacefully.
