Estonian intelligence agency says Russia will not attack NATO countries this year
Russia has no intention of launching a military attack on any NATO state this or next year but will continue rebuilding its armed forces out of concern over European rearmament.
Source: annual report of the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The Estonian intelligence agency assesses that forecasts for next year will remain unchanged, as Europe has taken measures that force Russia to carefully calculate its actions towards NATO countries.
"Europe must invest in defence and internal security so that in the future Russia concludes it has no chance against NATO countries," Kaupo Rosin, Director General of the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service, told journalists.
He added that in the coming years Russia will focus its efforts on halting Europe's rearmament.
"We see that the Russian leadership is very concerned about Europe's rearmament; they see that Europe may be capable of conducting independent military action against Russia within two to three years," Rosin said.
Intelligence estimates indicate that Russia seeks to expand cooperation with the United States in order to secure the lifting of US sanctions.
"Despite this illusory thaw, Russia's aims remain unchanged: it seeks to marginalise the United States and NATO and to reshape Europe's security architecture according to Moscow's vision," the report states.
Background:
- Lieutenant General Gerald Funke, Chief of the Bundeswehr Joint Support Command Headquarters, has warned that Russia could attack NATO countries within the next two to three years, with Germany being at the centre of any conflict.
- NATO has planned to create an unmanned robotic zone along its border with Russia and Belarus over the next two years and to pre-position significantly more weapons there.
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!