Vladimir Putin could cause provocations in four new countries, Lithuania's Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas has warned. He said the Russian president could turn his attention to the Baltic states – Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia – and Poland.
Putin needs a new win, says minister
Mr Kaunas claimed that uncertainties over the outcome of the four-year-long Ukraine war have caused the Russian people to question and turn on their government, leaving Putin scrambling for a win. He told LRT: Since the war in Ukraine is not unfolding as Russia planned, they are unable to win, and today explosions are echoing within Russia itself, there are fuel shortages...
Russian society is already questioning the Kremlin regime about why this is happening and where the promised victory is. The Kremlin, Putin, needs a new escalation, some kind of new win, and the Baltic region and Poland are the nearest targets in this case.
Lithuanian president warns of NATO test
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda added that Russia is planning to escalate in Poland or the Baltic states to test NATO. He told BNS that intelligence data indicates concerns about possible attacks on critical infrastructure using conventional military or hybrid tactics.
In response, the country has stepped up security around critical transport and energy infrastructure, including bridges, electricity substations, gas supply systems, and communications hubs. Plans are also being made in response to a potential Russian attack, LRT reports.
Kremlin rejects claims
The Kremlin recently rejected such claims, branding them the latest batch of scare stories designed to continue brainwashing the population and preparing it for further militarisation
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Polish minister warns of false flag operation
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski also suggested Russia could stage a false flag operation using Ukrainian drones. The country was recently forced to scramble fighter jets to intercept a Russian Il-20 aircraft over the Baltic Sea. The Russian plane had no filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off. The aircraft was carrying out a reconnaissance mission in international airspace, the Polish Operational Command of the Armed Forces said. The on-duty pair of Air Force fighters successfully intercepted, visually identified, and escorted the aircraft away from the area of responsibility.
