Occupation of Latvia and 15,000 dead in 2 weeks: NATO modeled the attack of the Russian Federation (maps)
A simulation that describes the attack of Russian troops on the Eastern Flang in 2027 has developed the Center on New Generation (Center on New Generation Warfare). Former Western warlords, including US generals Philip Bridlaw and Ben Hodges, participated in the development of such a scenario. The task was to model the possible reaction of the Alliance to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Representatives of the NATO countries tried to make an idea of their own capabilities and develop a strategy for the protection of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. To date, a contingent of about 800 German soldiers is a stationed contingent in Lithuania. Among the armored vehicles they have-Leopard Tanks. In 2027, the Bundeswehr personnel are planned to be enlarged to the brigade (4800 soldiers and 200 civilians), and armored vehicles-up to 44 Leopard 2 tanks. NATO Statute would take ten days.
The attacked country would have reinforced. That is, the Baltic countries would have to be left without external support for ten days until Poland and other allies would come to the rescue. According to General Philip Bridlava, the Baltic countries would have to hold positions before the arrival of large units. "It is necessary to win as much time as possible. First there will be support from the air, then the fleet, and then - heavy land troops," he explained.
The simulated scenario implies that after the occupation of Latvia, Russia can continue to attack simultaneously from the captured Latvian territory, from Belarus and its enclave near the Baltic Sea - Kaliningrad. Lithuania and allies would have to retreat, and the German tank battalion would have to perform a brilliant maneuver and change the course of the battle. By the end of the fourth day, the German tank battalion will have to be held in the center as a reserve.
On the fifth day, 44 German tanks Leopard 2 will go north, will quickly go out for the Lithuanian territory, to the seventh - they will enter the flank, where the main Russian contingent will come from Latvia. Then within three days, German troops will have to break the forces of the predominant enemy and stop the offensive to the north. According to a simulated war, by the end of ten -day battles, Lithuanian forces will lose 17 tanks, 145 armored vehicles and 3650 soldiers.
The losses of the Russian Federation will be much higher: 411 tanks, 1019 armored vehicles and 11 420 dead. The authors of the study concluded that Lithuania would be "devastated and partially occupied" in only two weeks of fierce fighting. But such an unfavorable scenario would be avoided if the defense budget of NATO countries had increased to 4% of GDP. In the Alliance, more troops and equipment would be deployed, including Apache helicopters. The event reaction should also be faster.