Denmark warns Russia could launch limited attack on NATO countries
Read NV on Google
Russia is likely to intensify its hybrid war against the West in the coming months, according to a report by Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service. (Photo: REUTERS/Alexey Pavlishak)
There is a “small but growing risk” that Russia will launch
a limited
military offensive against one or more NATO countries bordering Russia in
the coming months, the Danish Defense Intelligence Service said on Sept. 24, Reuters
reported.
Russia is likely to intensify its hybrid warfare against the
West in the coming months, according to the agency’s report.
“A limited military offensive would be a desperate move by
Russia and, like an escalation of hybrid attacks, could potentially take place
in the coming months,” the Danish Defense Intelligence Service said.
Thomas Ahrenkiel, head of the intelligence service, told a
news conference that such Russian attacks could include isolated strikes with
long-range weapons such as drones or missiles against infrastructure that
supports Ukraine.
“Or they could be false-flag operations using Ukrainian-made
drones,” he said.
Russian provocation threat in Europe
Col. Paweł Szota, head of Poland’s Foreign Intelligence
Agency, publicly said on June 28 that Russia was prepared to send “little green
men” into the Baltic states. The Polish intelligence chief assessed that
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is now hostage to his own defeat, and that
Russia could therefore continue fighting in Ukraine for several more years
while carrying out hybrid attacks on NATO’s eastern flank.
Lithuania’s Defense Ministry issued a somewhat different
statement on June 29. In comments cited by Lithuanian broadcaster LRT, the
ministry said
there were currently no objective signs that Russia was preparing a full-scale
military attack on the Baltic states.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Aug. 6 that U.S.
intelligence considers it possible that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin could
try to test NATO’s readiness for collective defense — including through
cyberattacks, sabotage or a limited incursion into one NATO country — from this
fall through 2029. U.S. assessments suggest Moscow’s goal may not be to seize
territory, but to test NATO unity and allies’ willingness to invoke Article 5.
CNN reported on Sept. 17 that Russia’s
hybrid attacks against Europe are intended to create a sense that war is
approaching without escalating into direct conflict. However, Moscow could eventually
make a mistake and cross a line that would force NATO to respond with force.
CNN assessed that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is
pursuing two key goals. The first is to make the cost of supporting Ukraine
seem like an increasingly heavy burden to European societies. The second is to
test NATO’s willingness to respond to threats and effectively test the
collective defense principle enshrined in Article 5 of the North Atlantic
Treaty.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Sept. 18 that the
most likely scenario for the coming months was Russian
hybrid attacks involving drones and missiles against countries supporting
Ukraine.
“In short: There is a real risk that drones or missiles of
another type could fly into the territory of one or more countries on the
eastern flank, even causing destruction, while the official explanation would
be that it was an accident,” he said.
A Russian military helicopter violated Polish airspace near
the city of Braniewo on Sept. 23.
Poland’s Operational Command said the helicopter flew from
the direction of Kaliningrad Oblast and briefly entered Polish territory before
immediately turning back.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
