Lithuanian defence minister: Putin needs new victory and is eyeing Baltics and Poland

As Russia is unable to achieve victory in its war against Ukraine, the Kremlin is seeking an alternative path to victory and now views the Baltic region and Poland as its most likely next targets.

Source: Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas speaking to Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT, as reported by European Pravda

Details: According to Kaunas, the war in Ukraine is not developing as Russia had planned. The Russians are unable to win, while explosions are now being heard in Russia itself and the country is experiencing fuel shortages. Kaunas stressed that Russian society is already questioning the Kremlin regime, asking why this is happening and where the promised victory is.

He said that the Kremlin and Putin need a new escalation, some kind of new victory, and that in this case the closest targets are the Baltic region and Poland.

His statement came after Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, in an interview with the news agency BNS, confirmed reports that had been circulating in foreign media several weeks earlier, according to which Russia was planning provocations in Poland or the Baltic states in order to test NATO's unity.

According to the president, this assessment is based on intelligence and concerns possible Russian attacks on critical infrastructure in the region, which could be carried out using either conventional military means or so-called hybrid tactics.

Background:

• Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski had previously suggested that Russia could stage a false-flag operation using Ukrainian-made drones.
• Meanwhile, Chief of Defence of Lithuania General Raimundas Vaikšnoras said there is currently no obvious threat of conventional Russian military aggression against Lithuania or other Baltic states, although provocations involving the use of military means cannot be ruled out.
• Earlier, media reports claimed that the US had warned Warsaw that Moscow was considering an armed provocation against Poland in order to "test NATO's resolve".

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