The Kremlin dismissed Estonia's statements about a potential threat as a provocation
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the rights of Russian speakers are being violated in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Speaking to journalists on September 25, he also assured that Moscow is not preparing for a war with Europe. This was reported by Glavcom, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
Vladimir Putin touched upon the topic of so-called compatriot protection while speaking with media representatives on the sidelines of the United Cultures Forum in St. Petersburg. According to him, Moscow’s response will be limited to the humanitarian sphere and international law.
«Russia will continue to fight for the rights of compatriots, but only within the international legal field», — Putin emphasized. He also criticized the practice of non-citizenship in the Baltic states, calling this status nonsense.
Statements on Europe
The head of the Kremlin assured that Russia is not preparing an attack on European countries and has no intention of starting a war. He characterized statements by Estonian representatives about a probable threat as provocations, and accused European leaders of escalating the situation due to their support for Ukraine.
In recent days, European intelligence officials and politicians have been publicly discussing the risks of a sabotage campaign. In particular, the heads of intelligence services from Czechia, Latvia, and Sweden suggested in an interview with The Guardian that sabotage operations could increase in the coming months.
NATO and Lithuania’s Position
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, speaking at a business forum in Miami, called Russian provocations a regular occurrence on NATO’s eastern flank. Additionally, on September 25, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry summoned a representative of the Russian embassy over airstrike attacks on Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated in an interview with Bloomberg that the alliance has ready response options for hybrid actions. At the same time, he urged member states to remain calm while increasing defense investments.
Photo: Glavcom
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