Lithuania warns Putin could target Baltics and Poland next
Russian President Vladimir Putin (photo: Getty Images)
As Russia is unable to defeat Ukraine, the Kremlin is looking for an alternative scenario and is likely to view the Baltic states and Poland as its most probable next targets, Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas warned, according to LRT.
The fact is that Russia's war against Ukraine is currently a complete failure for the Kremlin.
The Russian army is not only suffering defeats on the front but is also unable to protect its own country from daily strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
As Kaunas noted, Russia's fuel crisis is a separate issue. It was this crisis that finally made Russians wake up and question what the Kremlin is saying.
"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," the Lithuanian defense minister said.
This is not the first warning from Lithuanian authorities about Putin's plans. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda recently said that Moscow is indeed planning provocations in Poland or the Baltic states.
One of Putin's key goals is to test NATO's unity.
As Nausėda explained, this assessment is based on intelligence and concerns possible Russian attacks on critical infrastructure in the region.
The Lithuanian president warned that they could be carried out using both conventional military means and so-called hybrid tactics.
Putin's approval rating in Russia continues to fall rapidly.
The Kremlin has also ordered its troops to monitor NATO exercises.
It also emerged that a Russian missile nearly disrupted the Alliance summit in Ankara.
