Russia took a very harsh card

The spillover of the drone war worries Russia’s border countries.

Finland was confused by a drone warning last week, a NATO fighter jet shot down a Ukrainian drone in Estonia at the beginning of the week, and Latvia gave two air alerts about possible drones. In the background are Ukraine’s massive drone attacks on Russian infrastructure.

The issue is expected to come up at the defense alliance NATO’s meeting of foreign ministers in Helsingborg, which started on Thursday.

“This is a matter of concern for NATO citizens, especially in Russia’s border countries. It is also important for NATO to increase drone production and combat capabilities”, Kauppalehti correspondent Karvala of Crete evaluates from Helsingborg on Talousaamu’s broadcast.

Russia’s intentions are being hotly debated in Brussels.

“One level is, of course, that Russia already affects (Europe) in many ways, attacks and sabotages critical infrastructure. We are not at peace, but we are not at war either, we are in a gray area,” commented Karvala.

Concerns have arisen in Brussels that if the United States were to withdraw more troops from Europe, Russia might test the unity of NATO by somehow striking, for example, a Baltic country.

Now Russia has returned the stray drones from Ukraine as a threat. Russia’s UN ambassador claimed from the beginning of the week that Ukraine was planning attacks on Russia from the territory of Latvia and other Baltic countries. According to news agencies, Nebenzja said through an interpreter that NATO membership does not protect Latvia from Russian retaliation.

“Russia accuses the Baltic countries of allowing Ukraine to operate in their territory. Of course, NATO denies this, the Baltic countries deny this, but Russia says that this could also give someone the right to attack a Baltic country,” Karvala said.

“NATO is a defense alliance and Russia knows it. They wouldn’t have emptied the Leningrad military unit and sent them to Ukraine to fight if NATO was a threat to Russia. This is the kind of propaganda, typical of Russia.”

Watch the interview and the entire broadcast here: