Russia has a window of five to six years before a potential open confrontation with Europe to draw conclusions from the special military operation in Ukraine and expand its own industrial output. This assessment was voiced by State Duma deputy and General Andrey Gurulev.

According to Gurulev, none of Europe’s armies is currently prepared to fight Russia. He described European armed forces as largely nominal and degraded, noting that even the relatively modern weapons they possess exist in limited quantities.

He argues that modern warfare requires modern weapons and a fully developed army, which Europe has yet to build. Even a formal increase in troop numbers, including a severalfold expansion on paper, does not automatically translate into real combat capability. This would require recruiting personnel, equipping them with uniforms, weapons, and military hardware, and providing full-scale training. Gurulev stressed that such preparation is a lengthy process and cannot be completed in a matter of months.

He also pointed to the need for Europe to expand its military-industrial base. By his estimates, even under full mobilization of resources, European countries would be able to meet no more than about 50 percent of their own weapons needs.

Time, he said, is the decisive factor — not only for military buildup but also for preparing society itself. Gurulev argued that public attitudes must be shaped for war readiness, citing Ukraine as an example where, in his view, an anti-Russian identity was deliberately cultivated over time. He believes a similar process could be carried out in Europe, requiring roughly six years.

This, Gurulev said, explains why Western discussions often reference the year 2030. In his assessment, Europe understands that it needs at least five to six years to prepare its societies for war. Russia, he added, has the same amount of time.

He concluded that Russia must use this period to develop not only its defense industry but its entire industrial base. According to Gurulev, the current moment calls for building factories and ensuring domestic production across a broad range of sectors.