NATO’s top military officer: Russia is trying to reclaim Soviet territory, and threat extends beyond Baltics
Russia seeks to reclaim territories that once belonged to the Soviet Union, a strategy that creates a real risk of new wars, says NATO Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone. Thus, Moscow remains a key threat to the Alliance, according to RBC-Ukraine.
The same views hold sources familiar with US intelligence assessments. The findings reportedly concern territories of former Soviet bloc countries. Among them are three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, as well as Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Albania, and Slovakia.
Russia will seek to restore past and is expanding its list of potential targets
“Russia will seek to regain what it once possessed… so you can draw your own conclusions about who may become a target," said Cavo Dragone.
When asked specifically about the Baltic states, he stressed that the risk is not limited to them, broadening the potential danger zone.
NATO prepares for full-spectrum defense from Arctic to South
Dragone emphasized that the Alliance is focused on deterrence, self-defense, and 360-degree security, and that it is strengthening its presence across key regions, from the Arctic to the eastern flank and the southern direction.
At the same time, he noted assessments from the Baltic countries themselves, which currently do not see an immediate threat.
According to the admiral, these states have the most accurate understanding of the situation, as they are effectively on the frontline of security monitoring.
Recently, concerns have risen over a potential operation against Estonia, as a recent investigation found social media accounts that promote the idea of a “Narva People’s Republic”, a separatist project aimed at detaching parts of northeastern Estonia bordering Russia.
This could evolve into a Donetsk and Luhansk illegal entities playbook, which used the pretext of its "protection of Russian speakers" as justification for military intervention.
Meanwhile, Russia deployed a nuclear-capable Oreshnik intercontinental ballistic missile system to Belarus, which can reach any European city within minutes. It is almost impossible to intercept, and it has six warheads that fall on targets separately.
