Russia 'preparing to invade new European country' as NATO fears grow
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported in June that Russia is laying the groundwork to potentially justify moves against Moldova and the Baltic states, citing a supposed obligation to defend its "compatriots abroad".
This rhetoric echoes the "Russkiy Mir" concept, which promotes the idea of a "Russian world" beyond its borders.
This narrative, experts indicate, mirrors the one Putin employed to rationalise the full-scale assault on Ukraine in February 2022. In May, it was highlighted that Russian security forces were still engaging in covert operations against the US and its allies, seen as rehearsals for a more significant conflict with NATO.
A cybersecurity warning was issued by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), alongside intelligence agencies from Germany, Czechia, Poland, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, and the Netherlands. It revealed that Russia's GRU had been targeting sectors such as defence, transport, and IT services in NATO countries, as well as Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine. Moldova president Maia Sandu. (Image: Getty) Putin next to Russian navy soldiers. (Image: Getty)
Now, specialists are voicing concerns that Russia's ambitions could extend further into eastern Europe, reports the Express.
"As a military intelligence analyst specialising in Putin's thinking and Russian military strategy, I agree with Rutte's assessment about Russia's readiness for another offensive military campaign in just a few years," penned Russian-born US intelligence expert Rebekah Koffler in The Telegraph.
"I'm less convinced that a NATO country is likely to be the Kremlin's next target, unless the alliance directly intervenes in Ukraine by deploying troops onto the battlefield.
"Nevertheless, what NATO does or doesn't do in the next few years could be highly significant in determining whether Putin decides to attack another post-Soviet state - such as Moldova."
Koffler cautions that Russia aims to disrupt NATO's "network-centric approach to war" by focusing on the C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) and space systems that are crucial for the organisation's forces.
She argues that member states must go beyond merely spending money and instead gain a deeper understanding of the alliance's weaknesses.
Moreover, it's important to recognise that the Kremlin tends to employ indirect tactics in confronting its adversaries, rather than outright aggression.
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