UK Media: Russian Drones May Attack NATO Within Months

[Global Times Special Correspondent Chen Qi] The British "Guardian" reported exclusively on the 20th that European intelligence officials have indicated that Russia's actions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict could escalate in months rather than years—Russia may soon test NATO's limits. Some officials have stated that potential attacks could occur within months, rather than years later. Similar statements have been made before; Kremlin spokesman Peskov has previously dismissed such claims as completely inconsistent with reality and not Russia's intention.

Polish Prime Minister Tusk had previously stated that intelligence assessments indicate that Russia may use drones or missiles to attack NATO territory in the coming months. French President Macron described Tusk's warning as "reasonable and well-founded." Macron convened party leaders and candidates for the 2027 presidential election in Paris for an emergency meeting, where he expressed the aforementioned views.

Later this week, the United Nations General Assembly will convene in New York, while airstrike actions from both Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate, heightening concerns about the situation. Recently, the British "Guardian" interviewed three heads of European intelligence agencies at different locations to hear their views on the potential threats from Moscow. Michal Koudelka, head of the Czech Security Information Service, stated that in addition to increased drone activity, the Kremlin's plans may also include small-scale attacks on NATO territory bordering Russia.

Officials from the Baltic states, which border Russia, are more cautious about the prospects of attacks or other significant escalations. They pointed out that Russia's resources on the Ukrainian battlefield are already stretched thin and warned that overemphasizing the risk of attacks could actually aid the Kremlin. Normands Mezviets, Director General of the Latvian State Security Service, stated in an interview at the agency's headquarters in Riga: "We do not see signs of an imminent attack." He acknowledged that there are indications that Moscow is preparing to take more decisive action in Europe, but it is unclear whether these plans are merely part of a strategy to destabilize.

Recently, NATO has conducted a series of military exercises in the Arctic region focused on high-latitude and polar strategies. The Russian news agency Sputnik reported on the 21st that the head of the European Affairs Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry and a senior official in the Arctic Council, Masyenikov, stated that any NATO exercises in the Arctic would increase the risk of incidents, which could provoke confrontation and pose a direct threat to Russia's security.