HAMBURG (dpa-AFX) - In the wake of the Russian attack on Ukraine, NATO must adjust to a new reality, according to its commander-in-chief in Europe. The scale of this war is unbelievable, General Christopher Cavoli said Friday as guest of honor at the traditional Matthiae banquet at Hamburg City Hall. Russia has lost more than 2,000 large battle tanks so far, he said. More than 200,000 Russian soldiers and over 1,800 officers have been killed or wounded, he said. On average, the Russian army fires more than 23,000 artillery shells per day.

When the going gets tough for NATO, "hard power" must be an argument, he said. "If the other guy comes with a tank, you should have a tank," Cavoli said. However, he said, one lesson from the Cold War is that weapons precision matters. In addition, he said, the production capacity of the defense industry is important. The winner of a war is the one who can produce the fastest.

At the same time, the NATO general stressed the importance of civilian leadership: "We have learned from this conflict that civilian leadership is absolutely essential." It can mobilize the nation and inspire partners, he said./bsp/DP/mis