Russia is preparing for a military confrontation with the West within the next decade, according to Estonia’s Foreign Intelligence Service.
Western officials have warned of a military threat from Russia to countries along the eastern flank of NATO, calling for Europe to prepare by rearming. The assessment is based on Russian plans to double the number of forces stationed along its border with Finland and the Baltic States of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.
Kaupo Rosin, the chief of the intelligence service, said that a military attack by Russia is “highly unlikely” in the short term, partly because Russia has to keep troops in Ukraine. If Europe is not prepared, the likelihood of a military Russian attack would be much higher than without any preparation.
Estonia and the other Baltic States have increased their military spending to over 2% of their economies after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, and NATO allies have raised their presence in those countries.
Germany plans to have 4,800 combat-ready troops in the region by 2027, its first permanent foreign deployment since World War II. Rosin does not expect a Russian breakthrough in Ukraine before its presidential election in March, as it would need to mobilize significantly more troops.
(Reuters)
