Russia is looking to gain an advantage through weapon systems such as the Oreshnik missile, NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, General Christopher Cavoli said.
"These new capabilities show that the Russian army intends to gain a tactical and operational advantage on the future battlefield," he said.
Cavoli also noted that Russia was expanding the size of its armed forces faster than analysts had predicted.
"Russia is not only increasing its personnel but is also replacing military equipment and ammunition at an unprecedented pace," he stated in his opening remarks for a hearing in the US Senate.
Russia has been successfully rebuilding its non-nuclear forces while maintaining a higher level of combat readiness. To crown it all, Russia benefits from a favorable geographic position, US General Christopher Cavoli added.
Russia can rapidly increase troop numbers along its borders to counter NATO forces in the event of a hypothetical conflict. In this regard, NATO and US European Command must be prepared to reduce Russia's ability to quickly deploy numerically superior ground forces.