Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly planning to attack NATO this fall. Moscow is said to be preparing a limited offensive, according to American intelligence services.
Although previously officials in Washington believed that a Russian attack on a NATO ally would not occur, considering that Moscow is massively consuming its military, financial, and social energy in the war in Ukraine. But new information and assessments show that Putin is seriously considering an attack on the Alliance.
The recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and minimal gains on the battlefield could push Putin to try to achieve a victory against NATO, American officials stated anonymously for WSJ.
The actions would likely target NATO’s eastern flank, to test the alliance’s commitments set out in Article 5, the collective defense clause for member states.
The information from the Americans aligns with other data, made public by the special services of European countries, reports hotnews.ro. Previously, a potential attack was forecasted to happen by 2029.
Several scenarios would have been considered – from a cyber attack to the deployment of armed forces for a limited invasion on the eastern flank of the alliance.
If in 2022 the US warning that Russia would attack Ukraine was viewed with skepticism by many Western states, now they are preparing and informing their population. Poland, the Scandinavian countries, and the Baltic states are intensively preparing for a hostile unfolding from Russia. France, Germany, Italy, and the UK continue to pursue an active policy of deterring Russia.