Putin Testing NATO Borders Security Chiefs Warn of Russian Probing in Estonia and Finland

[Social Media]

 

Russia has initiated border disputes with NATO members Estonia and Finland, sparking concerns among Western security chiefs about potential long-term plans by Moscow to assert control over parts of the Baltic region. This comes amidst ongoing tensions in Ukraine, where Russia continues its offensive. The provocations in Estonia and Finland are seen as part of a broader strategy by President Vladimir Putin to test NATO's resolve and identify weak spots for future incursions.

 

Blinken; "We know that if Russia’s aggression is allowed to proceed in Ukraine with impunity, it will not stop with Ukraine. And other would-be aggressors in other parts of the world will take note and consider pursuing their own aggressions."

We know that if Russia’s aggression is allowed to proceed in Ukraine with impunity, it will not stop with Ukraine. And other would-be aggressors in other parts of the world will take note and consider pursuing their own aggressions. — @SecBlinken from Prague pic.twitter.com/uZ0qN1k3At

— Department of State (@StateDept) May 31, 2024

 

In recent weeks, Moscow has made moves that have heightened tensions along its borders with Estonia and Finland. Russia issued a draft proposal to revise its sea border with Finland and removed a series of buoys marking the river frontier with Estonia. These actions have been interpreted as deliberate attempts to provoke and destabilize the region.

 

Micael Bydén, Sweden's chief of defense, warned last week that Putin's ultimate goal is to seize control of the Baltic region and use it as a "playground" to "terrorize" NATO members. This sentiment is echoed by diplomats and security experts who believe that these provocations are part of Russia's hybrid warfare strategy, aimed at testing the West's response and finding vulnerabilities for potential future actions.

 

 

Viljar Lubi, the Estonian ambassador to London, emphasized the unpredictable nature of these provocations, stating, "This is part of this ongoing hybrid warfare: Russia is aggressively trying to destabilize our society and also our support for Ukraine. We need to be well prepared. It is not always easy because you don’t know exactly what the next move is. They go into the so-called grey area, where we don’t know exactly what is next."

 

The removal of buoys in the Narva River by Russian border guards, which Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, condemned as an "unacceptable" act, illustrates the provocative nature of these actions. The Narva region, predominantly Russian-speaking and lacking a formal border agreement between Estonia and Russia, poses a significant risk for future Russian incursions.

 

Additionally, Russia's defense ministry issued and quickly deleted a decree that appeared to adjust sea borders around the Gulf of Finland and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Lithuania condemned the move as a "deliberate, targeted escalatory provocation." Kai Sauer, the Finnish ambassador to Germany, noted that Russia's maneuvers were likely influenced by Finland's recent accession to NATO.

 

"In military terms, our threat perception has not changed, but it seems quite clear that we are facing certain hybrid activities," Sauer said. "It is clear that with the Finnish and Swedish NATO membership the geopolitical situation in the Baltic Sea has changed. I think it’s also quite predictable that Russia is adapting to that change but how that will manifest itself is less clear."

 

The Swedish island of Gotland, strategically located in the middle of the Baltic Sea, is another potential flashpoint. Swedish defense chief Bydén warned that Putin aims to control the Baltic Sea, which would have significant implications for Sweden and other bordering countries. "If Russia takes control and seals off the Baltic Sea, it would have an enormous impact on our lives," he said. "We can’t allow that... the Baltic Sea must not become Putin’s playground where he terrifies NATO members."

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also highlighted the Estonian incident, warning that Russia is preparing for provocations in the Baltic region against NATO borders. Aliona Hlivco, a former Ukrainian MP and managing director of the Henry Jackson Society, drew parallels between the current Baltic disputes and the prelude to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She noted the region's vulnerability due to its porous borders and significant Russian diaspora, which could be mobilized through propaganda.

 

Western leaders, including German defense minister Boris Pistorius, have expressed concerns about Moscow's rearmament and potential for future aggression. As Russia continues its offensive in northeastern Ukraine, its actions in the Baltic region are seen as part of a larger strategy to destabilize and test NATO.

 

In conclusion, Russia's recent provocations along the borders of Estonia and Finland highlight the ongoing tension and potential threats in the Baltic region. As Western security chiefs warn of Putin's long-term plans, the situation underscores the importance of vigilance and preparedness among NATO members to defend against potential incursions and maintain regional stability.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph - X - 2024-06-02

 

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[Tug]

Let’s hope he pushes hard enough to get nato in to help Ukraine push that subhuman criminal out of their country!

[JohnOFphon]

We're all gonna die..sooner than later if Putin decides to push the button. 

[Excogitator]

3 hours ago, Social Media said:

Blinken; "We know that if Russia’s aggression is allowed to proceed in Ukraine with impunity, it will not stop with Ukraine. And other would-be aggressors in other parts of the world will take note and consider pursuing their own aggressions."

Exactly right.

 

It is time for NATO, the strongest military alliance in world history, to show its strength and resolve. For that is the only language Putins Russia understand.

[Peterphuket]

2 hours ago, JohnOFphon said:

We're all gonna die..sooner than later if Putin decides to push the button. 

He himself too, sooner or later.

[soalbundy]

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Let’s hope he pushes hard enough to get nato in to help Ukraine push that subhuman criminal out of their country!

' Subhuman' is the speech of the Nazis and isn't helpful. Certainly he is a dangerous criminal and he only understands force and military strength, he must be stopped in Ukraine. What we have at the moment is a proxy WWIII. For too long Europe has relied on the USA for its protection and has allowed its own armed forces to be weakened, now with a world wide recession in the offing it is going to be even more difficult to convince governments to increase their military budgets but it is necessary. A sad state of affairs in the 21st Century that this should be needed, money that could be better deployed in civilian infrastructure, schools, housing, hospitals and social welfare but here we are, modern humans with Neolithic mindsets.

[Tug]

17 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

' Subhuman' is the speech of the Nazis and isn't helpful. Certainly he is a dangerous criminal and he only understands force and military strength, he must be stopped in Ukraine. What we have at the moment is a proxy WWIII. For too long Europe has relied on the USA for its protection and has allowed its own armed forces to be weakened, now with a world wide recession in the offing it is going to be even more difficult to convince governments to increase their military budgets but it is necessary. A sad state of affairs in the 21st Century that this should be needed, money that could be better deployed in civilian infrastructure, schools, housing, hospitals and social welfare but here we are, modern humans with Neolithic mindsets.

I beg to differ perhaps monster or dalmer heck he’s one bad dude getting lots of folks killed firing ship killer missiles into apartment buildings emptying his prisons arming the criminals and sending them to rape and loot his neighbor…….no sir I beg to differ he is a sub human monster 

[300sd]

5 hours ago, Social Media said:

Blinken; "We know that if Russia’s aggression is allowed to proceed in Ukraine with impunity, it will not stop with Ukraine. And other would-be aggressors in other parts of the world will take note and consider pursuing their own aggressions."

That certainly doesn't sound like a statement that would stop this war in 24 hours!

[Rimbuman]

2 hours ago, Excogitator said:

Exactly right.

 

It is time for NATO, the strongest military alliance in world history, to show its strength and resolve. For that is the only language Putins Russia understand.

The strongest and most technologically advanced military alliance might be Russia and China instead of woke, broke, brittle and divided NATO, the Ukraine war will be lost by the collective West.

The delusional frequent Davos WEF attending psychopaths will get their booties handed on platters.

[Doctor Tom]

11 minutes ago, Rimbuman said:

The strongest and most technologically advanced military alliance might be Russia and China instead of woke, broke, brittle and divided NATO, the Ukraine war will be lost by the collective West.

The delusional frequent Davos WEF attending psychopaths will get their booties handed on platters.

Nonsense

[300sd]

23 minutes ago, Rimbuman said:

The strongest and most technologically advanced military alliance might be Russia and China instead of woke, broke, brittle and divided NATO, the Ukraine war will be lost by the collective West.

The delusional frequent Davos WEF attending psychopaths will get their booties handed on platters.

You nailed it: "woke, broke and brittle." Yes the real war mongers are hiding in plane sight and they will certainly lose.

[Dcheech]

 

7 hours ago, Social Media said:

Russia has initiated border disputes with NATO members Estonia and Finland

 

To be expected. 

Ukraine gets the ok to use western supplied weapons to strike into Russia. Putin will threaten nuke war and or invading all those countries he said he would not invade. Not to worry. Celestial Leader Xi does not want a nuke war, he does not want a massive expansion of the present conflict. Xi is Putin's only ally & sugar daddy. Without the Celestial Empires backing Putin would have to sue for peace in a week. Celestial leader Xi, must be obeyed.

Putin has to be PO'd though, at the recent turn of events. Just when Russian forces advanced & conquered more territory. The US congress passes the aid package, Putin was counting on the radical rightwing Republicans in the US Congress to keep it frozen. That hurt. 
 

NATO & USA ok Ukraine’s using western supplied weapons  to strike inside Russia. Let the average Ivan & Ludmilla know the real cost of this war.

Then Trump loses the first of his legal cases. Putin’s one true western ally is not down for the count, but the Ginger Genius’s chances of being president for a 2nd time slide farther off into the gloom.
 

Tough times at Prince Vlads Volga Dacha.

[Excogitator]

1 hour ago, Rimbuman said:

The strongest and most technologically advanced military alliance might be Russia and China instead of woke, broke, brittle and divided NATO, the Ukraine war will be lost by the collective West.

The delusional frequent Davos WEF attending psychopaths will get their booties handed on platters.

You are delusional if you think Russia, China or even both united, can even compare with NATO. 

 

The fact that Russia can't even occupy one, not even fully developed, Eastern European nation, proves that you're wrong.

 

You sound like one of those spoilt, entitled rightwing Karens, criticizing everything about the free and democratic welfare states you comfortably grew up in, now pining for autocratic rule just because you feel your 'privileges' are somehow in danger of being 'taken away' from you..

 

Sorry to burst your bubble, but under autocratic rule like in Russia and China, you would not even be able to speak your mind freely, in the way that you just did...

[nobodysfriend]

Putin does not need unity . He is the one who decides . And he is prepared for a long war .

If Nato member states  would speak with ' one voice ' in front of aggressive Russia and leave no doubt that they are well prepared for a war with Russia itself , Russia would think twice before acting in a threatening way .

But is Nato ( and it's European member states  ) really prepared to confront Putin ? The answer is : NO .

He can threaten and do what he wants , he does not care about sanctions ( that have proven to have very little effect ) and even international arrest warrants have no impact on him .

In his country , he has successfully eliminated all opposition and critics , he knows that China wants Russia's

Gas and oil and raw materials , enough income provided to fund a long war ...

Europe is far behind , as so often ... time to massively invest in the military has come , but it will be too late , as that takes years ...

So , it is Putin's game and gain .

He creates facts now , counting on the fear of his nuclear arsenal .

Up to Nato to react , but it will be late , may be too late ...

 

[nobodysfriend]

1 hour ago, Excogitator said:

You are delusional if you think Russia, China or even both united, can even compare with NATO. 

 

Sorry , but you are delusional if you think that they cannot .

If Trump wins he might take the US out of NATO , and then what ?

They just wait and see , for the moment ...

But Xi is not the warmonger Putin is , Xi likes win win situations , but will help Putin for obvious reasons ...

[billd766]

4 hours ago, Peterphuket said:

He himself too, sooner or later.

I doubt that Putin would die immediately in any nuclear holocaust because he would immediately be moved to a safe place before it started.

 

However, if I remember my training it may be years before it would be safe enough to even go outside and that would be wearing complete nuclear protective gear. There would be few, if any survivors, no food could be grown and safely eaten, there would be no electrical or water supplies, no manufacturing of anything.

 

Sure he would be the undisputed leader, but of a destroyed nation of ashes and nuclear waste.

[Excogitator]

14 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

Sorry , but you are delusional if you think that they cannot .

If Trump wins he might take the US out of NATO , and then what ?

They just wait and see , for the moment ...

But Xi is not the warmonger Putin is , Xi likes win win situations , but will help Putin for obvious reasons ...

You're making your argument with what if's.. that's no argument at all.

 

No 1. Trump is a convicted felon. When that sinks in, the majority of US voters will decide to not vote for him.

 

No 2. In the off chance that Trump somehow gets himself elected.

What makes you think Trump will have enough power and support to simply 'take the US out of NATO'?

The very foundation for US and Western security ever since WW2.

[Tug]

56 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

Sorry , but you are delusional if you think that they cannot .

If Trump wins he might take the US out of NATO , and then what ?

They just wait and see , for the moment ...

But Xi is not the warmonger Putin is , Xi likes win win situations , but will help Putin for obvious reasons ...

I agree with your if trump wins gambit that’s what Putin’s waiting for and XI is playing the long game.if it does come to nato getting involved we will roll putin back quickly he will lose Crimea as fast as his troops can run for their lives forget the equipment 

[nobodysfriend]

4 hours ago, Tug said:

I agree with your if trump wins gambit that’s what Putin’s waiting for and XI is playing the long game.if it does come to nato getting involved we will roll putin back quickly he will lose Crimea as fast as his troops can run for their lives forget the equipment 

Nato closely observes the borders to russia , they knew about the russian troup's mass gatherings near the border to Ukraine ...

Nato  behaves a bit strange , as they know what Ukraine need now , but they seem to have logistcal and financial problems ... a pity over there we witness the systematic destruction of a country .

Give them at least , effective protection against  russian airstrikes , glide bombs etc...

[Roo Island]

Not the first time this has happened. Putin is just a bully. Only messes with small countries like Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine. And even with Ukraine, he can't win! He won't mess with NATO.

[Gweiloman]

46 minutes ago, Roo Island said:

Not the first time this has happened. Putin is just a bully. Only messes with small countries like Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine. And even with Ukraine, he can't win! He won't mess with NATO.

So why do all these big and mighty countries seem so have their knickers in a twist?

[Gweiloman]

13 hours ago, Tug said:

Let’s hope he pushes hard enough to get nato in to help Ukraine push that subhuman criminal out of their country!

NATO’s already in, short of boots on the ground. Seems to me like their afraid of putting their money where their mouth is.

[transam]

4 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

So why do all these big and mighty countries seem so have their knickers in a twist?

They don't, only in your Red imagination......

[transam]

3 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

NATO’s already in, short of boots on the ground. Seems to me like their afraid of putting their money where their mouth is.

That's only your daft assumption..........

[Gweiloman]

7 hours ago, Excogitator said:

You are delusional if you think Russia, China or even both united, can even compare with NATO. 

 

The fact that Russia can't even occupy one, not even fully developed, Eastern European nation, proves that you're wrong.

 

You sound like one of those spoilt, entitled rightwing Karens, criticizing everything about the free and democratic welfare states you comfortably grew up in, now pining for autocratic rule just because you feel your 'privileges' are somehow in danger of being 'taken away' from you..

 

Sorry to burst your bubble, but under autocratic rule like in Russia and China, you would not even be able to speak your mind freely, in the way that you just did...

The fact is that Russia doesn’t want to occupy Ukraine. When you get such a simple fact wrong, the rest of your post is just nonsense.

[transam]

Just now, Gweiloman said:

The fact is that Russia doesn’t want to occupy Ukraine. When you get such a simple fact wrong, the rest of your post is just nonsense.

Oh really, an horrendous number of dead for nothing, I see you have most definitely been brainwashed from an early age, comrade.........🤭

[Gweiloman]

12 hours ago, Excogitator said:

Exactly right.

 

It is time for NATO, the strongest military alliance in world history, to show its strength and resolve. For that is the only language Putins Russia understand.

It’s been over 2 years. They’d better get a move on before they become a laughing stock, if they aren’t already.

[transam]

Tell me @Gweiloman, what do you think made neutral countries like Sweden and Finland finally join NATO...

In English please, not Russian.........🤗

[Bkk Brian]

4 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

The fact is that Russia doesn’t want to occupy Ukraine. When you get such a simple fact wrong, the rest of your post is just nonsense.

Why has it illegally annexed parts already then if it doesn't want to occupy it? 

[Pouatchee]

willing to bet tha russia, china and north korea are conspiring together... china wants taiwan ans wants to control the south chinese sea, north korea wants to plunder south korea and russia wants to control the north...

 

no way the west could deal with all three at the same time