NATO’s reported ambition to form an 800,000-strong force to confront Russia is nothing more than wishful thinking, according to military analyst and retired Navy Captain Vasiliy Dandykin.

He argued that the alliance’s real capabilities fall far short of the numbers being discussed. Despite plans to position troops in Poland and the Baltic states, Dandykin said assembling a force approaching one million soldiers is practically impossible.

He noted that such a figure would equal the combined strength of the largest European armies — including those of Britain, France, Germany, and Poland. Dandykin added that the armed forces of these countries are, in his view, poorly prepared and lack substantial combat experience.

He stressed that, for now, these plans remain merely aspirations, including the idea that American troops would join such a deployment.

Dandykin also commented on Germany’s ambitions, saying that Berlin seeks to re-establish itself as Europe’s leading military power even as its economy deteriorates. He said Germany is expanding its armed forces and rearming, aiming to push troop numbers to around 80,000. According to him, the country is aggressively pursuing this goal, forgetting the lessons and tragic outcome of the Third Reich. He suggested that Germany will eventually have to turn to conscripts, as the number of volunteers is insufficient. In his assessment, German officials see themselves as the central force in uniting EU military capabilities against Russia.

Earlier, media reports stated that Germany had drafted a plan for a potential conflict with Russia, which includes the possibility of deploying up to 800,000 NATO troops to the east.