Germany's top military commander warned Friday that Russia is rapidly expanding its armed forces and building new military structures aimed at confronting the West, saying Moscow could be in a position to pose a direct military challenge to NATO by 2029.

"We can see that Russia is preparing itself to be capable of waging a large-scale war against the West,” Gen. Carsten Breuer said at a German Catholic gathering in Wurzburg, adding that NATO allies must boost their military capabilities.

He noted that the latest intelligence reports indicate that Russia is establishing new garrisons, and that its new weapons arsenal suggests Moscow wants to be capable of waging a major war against the West by 2029.

"The threat is real, and it is very close,” Breuer said. "As a soldier, I’m looking at the worst-case scenario and saying that by 2029, we have to be ready. We have to be ready to deter Russia, so it never even thinks about it.”