Estonian intelligence: Russia may inflict pinpoint strikes on Ukraine | Politics news from Germany | DW

by time news

Russia continues to move troops to the Ukrainian borders and can launch pinpoint strikes on Ukraine, occupying “key territories” in the country, but a full-scale occupation is unlikely, according to the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Department. “According to our estimates, they (the military of the Russian Federation. – Ed.) will avoid densely populated cities, since a large number of troops will be needed to control them,” said the head of the department, Mikk Marran, during the presentation of the annual report of Estonian intelligence on February 15.

In the document, posted in open access, in particular, a map of objects is published, which, it is alleged, Russia, in the event of an invasion of Ukraine, can attack in the first place. “The report indicates the Ukrainian goals proposed by the Russian intelligence services,” Marran stressed. We are talking about infrastructure facilities, the destruction of which “may interfere with the management, restoration and supply of the Armed Forces and the energy supply of Ukraine,” the document says.

In addition, according to Estonian intelligence, hostilities may intensify in the territories of the self-proclaimed “DPR” and “LPR”. Such an escalation is “highly likely,” Marran said, because it would allow Russia to deny its involvement in the hostilities, allowing it to avoid Western sanctions.

If Russian aggression in Ukraine succeeds, the Kremlin may increase pressure on the Baltic countries in the coming years, the Estonian intelligence chief added, stressing that “the threat of war has become Putin’s main political tool.”

Estonian intelligence is aware of about ten Russian military units heading towards the Ukrainian border, which already has about 170,000 Russian soldiers.

The United States and NATO do not fix the withdrawal of Russian troops from the borders of Ukraine

On February 15, the Russian Ministry of Defense, after a weeks-long period of tension, announced the start of a withdrawal of troops from the borders with Ukraine. However, the US government does not yet see any signs of a cessation of Russian military activity on the border with Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also sees no signs of a withdrawal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian border. “On the contrary, Russia seems to be continuing to build up its military presence,” the head of the alliance said on February 16 on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

See also:

You may also like

Leave a Comment