Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs warned Wednesday that Russia could increase provocations against the Baltic region as its military struggles to make gains in Ukraine, saying Moscow may seek to test NATO’s resolve through sabotage and hybrid attacks.
Speaking in Vilnius, Rinkēvičs said intelligence from Latvia, Lithuania and other NATO allies indicates that Russia is attempting to undermine regional security through “hybrid” operations.
“We must be extremely prepared for the stage of the war in Ukraine where Russia no longer achieves victories and is unable to advance on the battlefield,” Rinkēvičs said. “Even without a complete Ukrainian victory, Russia may indirectly test Article 5 and response mechanisms at the NATO and European Union levels.”
His comments came a day after Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda confirmed reports in foreign media that intelligence services believe Russia could be planning provocations in the Baltic states or Poland to test NATO unity.
Rinkēvičs said security services in the region were increasingly detaining people suspected of spying for or cooperating with Russia and Belarus.
