politics
Two NATO members report Russian preparations for possible Baltic or Polish provocation
Latvian intelligence and a second unnamed NATO member state have detected signs that Russia may stage limited military actions against Baltic states or Poland. Officials described the moves as efforts to test alliance cohesion amid stalled Russian advances in Ukraine.
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Latvian intelligence stated on Monday that Russia is preparing military provocations against the Baltic countries or Poland. The assessment described the actions as falling short of a full-scale attack. A senior political source from another NATO member made a similar statement last week, citing intelligence that Russian leadership was planning something against the Baltic states.
Background and context The warnings coincide with Ukrainian long-range strikes on targets near Moscow and St Petersburg. Nearly 200 Ukrainian drones struck several locations in the Russian capital last week. Latvian intelligence said Russia lacks the capacity to open a second front but could pursue hybrid attacks involving missiles or drones.
Officials from the second NATO country said such steps would aim to pressure allies to reduce support for Ukraine. Poland's prime minister said at a press conference after the Eastern Flank summit in Gdansk that the situation is very unstable and various types of escalation can be expected in the coming weeks and months.
The Lithuanian president and the Polish prime minister attended the summit together. NATO is scheduled to hold its annual summit in Ankara this month.
