Two countries on NATO's eastern flank warned that Russia is preparing a possible "provocation" in the Baltic states or Poland, seeking to test the unity of the Western military alliance, The Guardian reports, writes UNN.
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Western sources also fear that danger may be on the horizon, amid the Kremlin being under pressure from Ukraine's campaign of long-range strikes on targets near Moscow and St. Petersburg.
On Monday, Latvian intelligence said: "We see signs that Russia is preparing military provocations against the Baltic states or Poland." However, this would be far from a full-scale attack.
A senior political source from another NATO member made a similar statement last week. They said that "we are receiving intelligence data" that Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin "is planning something against the Baltic states."
They said that Putin may be ready to test US support for some of the smallest NATO member states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – in a desperate attempt to "roll the dice" while Russia struggles with its invasion of Ukraine, the publication writes.
Latvian intelligence said that Russia is not capable of opening a second front but is considering "hybrid attacks, such as missiles, drones or other actions aimed at sending a signal: stop supporting Ukraine, or you will have your own problems."
Putin pressures Lukashenko in an attempt to open a "second front" - WSJ24.06.26, 09:49
Keir Giles, a Russia expert at the Chatham House think tank, said: "Moscow will look for ways to disrupt the current trend through horizontal escalation [spreading the conflict to other countries] or through actions elsewhere. We should not expect Russia to passively lose."
A Western military source said there is concern that Russia could strike if Putin feels pressured, amid the war moving to the horizons of Moscow and St. Petersburg. "I cannot lie, this is a period of danger," they said.
This month, NATO will hold its annual summit in Ankara (Turkey) amid uncertainty over US commitments to the alliance. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said he felt "let down" by European allies who did not allow the US Air Force to bomb Iran from airfields in their countries.