Rinkevics confirms reports of possible Russian sabotage: Next several or even 12 months will be decisive
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has warned that Russia may resort to provocations in the region when its position begins to weaken significantly on the battlefield in Ukraine.
He made the statement during his visit to Lithuania, Censor.NET reports, citing LRT.
Sabotage and hybrid attacks
"The information we receive from Lithuania, Latvia, other NATO countries, as well as from the intelligence services of various states, indicates attempts to organise sabotage and hybrid attacks aimed at undermining the security of our countries, and such actions are entirely possible," Rinkevics said.
He stressed that Europe must prepare for the possibility that, once Russia can no longer achieve any victories on the front in Ukraine or advance on the battlefield, it may try to test the resilience of NATO’s Article 5 and EU-level response mechanisms.
According to Rinkevics, intelligence services are already detaining an increasing number of people who spy for Russia or Belarus or cooperate with those states.
"They are indeed testing our preparedness and our vigilance. We must be ready to repel and respond to new threats. The next several or even 12 months will be truly decisive for the security of the Baltic states; we can already see that hybrid operations have been ongoing for several years," he added.
Background
- Earlier, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski warned that Russia could be preparing a false-flag operation involving Ukrainian drones.
- Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda also said that intelligence reports indicated that Russia might be preparing provocations in Poland or the Baltic states to test NATO’s unity.
