Ukrainian spy chief warns of Putin’s Europe attack: “An absolute reality, soon”

Ukraine’s top military intelligence officer, Kyrylo Budanov, has issued a stark warning about Russia’s long-term military ambitions.

Ukrainian spy chief warns of looming Russian rearmament

Budanov said Moscow is preparing for a massive rearmament program that goes far beyond its war in Ukraine.

According to him, the danger will not only face Kyiv but also the whole of Europe.

$1.2 trillion to modernize Russian forces

Budanov revealed that Russia has set aside astonishing sums for its military build-up.

“Currently, the budget is estimated at about $1.2 trillion just for rearmament, it’s not the budget of the Ministry of Defense, but just funds for modernization and rearmament programs,” he explained.

Even if only half is delivered, he warned, the scale would be devastating.

Russia’s economy compared to NATO goals

The planned outlay shows just how much Moscow is willing to sacrifice.

With Russia’s GDP estimated at $2.2 trillion by the IMF, around 5% will go directly to military modernization.

This is the same target NATO members are debating, but Russia is set to reach it much faster and more aggressively.

Putin’s timeline: 2030 and beyond

Budanov insisted that Europe cannot afford to be complacent.

“By 2030, this will become an absolute reality,” he cautioned, describing it as the most extensive weapons program since the 1980s.

He said the Kremlin’s plans and dreams are already tied to the idea of launching a wider assault on Europe.

Testing ground: lessons from Ukraine

Since 2018, Vladimir Putin has promised super-modern weapons, including missiles that air defenses cannot stop.

But the war in Ukraine has taught the Russian army practical lessons about cheaper, more effective tools, such as drones.

Budanov warned that this mix of high-tech arms and battlefield experience makes the threat even sharper.

Mobilization remains a looming danger

While Russia relies on contract soldiers now, it still has the option of mass mobilization.

“In 2022, the Russian Federation carried out a partial mobilization. Since then, it has been trying to do everything possible to avoid another mobilization,” Budanov noted.

But if ordered, Moscow could draft huge numbers, sending even more men “to the slaughter.”

The strain on Russia’s army and society

The intelligence chief pointed out that Russia’s war has already stretched across twelve years, beginning with Crimea in 2014.

“In 12 years, any armed force is exhausted in one way or another,” he said.

Yet, despite the strain, no other country has comparable experience of this scale of warfare.

A warning Europe must not ignore

Budanov underlined that the threat is not hypothetical but real.

“It is related to their plans and dreams,” he explained, adding that Moscow is openly preparing for confrontation with the West.

“Closer to 2030, it will be an absolute reality,” he repeated, urging Europe to prepare now.