U.S. intelligence reports say Russia could conduct a limited assault on a NATO ally in the next few years, The Wall Street Journal reported. The new assessments warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin could attempt anything from a cyberattack or deployment of unmarked armed groups to a small-scale incursion along NATO’s eastern flank, according to U.S. officials. The potential window for Russian action stretches from this fall through 2029, the Journal reported Thursday night.
Intelligence officials consider a land incursion the least likely scenario, but believe the risk could increase over time. The assessment represents a shift from the previous U.S. view that Putin would avoid directly provoking NATO while Russia remains at war with Ukraine. Officials now worry that a cornered Putin, facing mounting Ukrainian attacks and pressure to demonstrate military success, could become more dangerous. The concern follows what officials see as Moscow increasingly testing NATO’s defenses.
