US General: "Russia is the primary military threat to the homeland today"

Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, said Russia remains the most urgent and immediate threat to the homeland even as China captures the attention of defense policymakers, Report informs, citing Air Force Magazine.

"Russia is the primary military threat to the homeland today. It is not China—it is Russia," VanHerck told Air Force Magazine.

VanHerck explained that while China is the "long-term existential threat" to America, Russia is the stronger warfighting threat today.

"From a kinetic standpoint—submarines, bombers, cruise missiles, those kinds of capabilities—Russia is the primary military threat," VanHerck said, calling Russia and China "equals in non-kinetic—cyber, space."

"They have to both be feared," he added.