Moscow one mistake away from triggering forceful NATO response — CNN
Russia’s hybrid attacks against Europe are intended to stay just below an imagined threshold for a kinetic response from NATO, meaning that a misstep could lock the Kremlin into an armed conflict against the West, CNN reported on Sept. 17.
Moscow is teetering on the brink of triggering a forceful NATO response, according to CNN. The network reports a series of hybrid attacks against European nations, which Russia aims to keep just below the threshold for a military confrontation. These actions include a Russian drone attack on a railway carrying former Western officials, the downing of another drone in Lithuania, a third drone washing up on Polish shores, a Danish helicopter narrowly avoiding a Russian flare, and Dutch trains being paralyzed by an unattributed act of sabotage.
CNN explains that these incidents were not accidental and come after weeks of warnings that Moscow intends to escalate tensions with NATO, although not necessarily with the goal of starting a full-scale conflict. A European diplomat tells CNN that such incidents are becoming increasingly routine, with what is happening now having triggered NATO's Article 4 just a few months ago.
Article 4 involves consultations among allies when a member state's security, territorial integrity, or political independence is threatened. The diplomat claims Russia seeks to discourage Europe from supporting Ukraine and is exploiting fears of escalation. CNN warns that the current situation could be the beginning of further escalation, stating that Moscow will eventually misfire or overstep, leading to a NATO member responding with force.
However, the report suggests that the point at which this confrontation occurs is one NATO's military and public are not prepared for, and it appears to be happening closer to the present day.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
