Putin purportedly plots against NATO states amid Ukraine conflict
8:21 PM EDT, April 2, 2024
These concerns gained traction when, even before the onset of military activities, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs attempted to shift the power balance in Europe. It issued a letter to key NATO countries, calling for withdrawal of alliance forces to the west of the Oder River to create a buffer zone. This proposal was unequivocally dismissed.
Putin targets nine countries
The notion of a Russian threat persists, albeit less pronounced than two years ago. This ongoing concern stems partly from reports by Russian telegram channels, which speculate about potential Russian military undertakings. Recently, the spotlight fell on a post from the General SVR account alleging insider Kremlin connections.
This account details Russian efforts to extend its war to Ukraine and the commencement of territorial occupations within the "brotherly" nation. There are purported plans for missile strikes on Moldova and hybrid warfare in the Baltic states. Furthermore, ambitions include annexing northern Kazakhstan and establishing control over Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.
However, it's crucial to note that the credibility of the channel's source, who claims to be a former spy, is highly questionable. This very source once falsely reported the death of Vladimir Putin, alleging the FSB had replaced him with a lookalike.