Ukraine’s President’s Office reveals potential Russian provocations on NATO borders
Фото: З відкритих джерел
The Russian Federation may escalate from sabotaging European infrastructure to provocations along NATO borders.
Rubryka reports this, citing the Telegram post of Andrii Yermak, head of the President's Office.
Yermak emphasized that when Ukraine discusses what European and NATO countries should consider, the following points are crucial:
- Hybrid threats: Yermak urged NATO to account for the risk of emerging hybrid threats near their borders.
"The presence of North Korean soldiers in Russian uniforms or Iranian proxies near NATO borders is a very real possibility if Russia is not stopped now," he stressed. - DPRK participation in the war: Yermak reminded that North Korean military personnel are already involved in combat in Europe—a previously unthinkable scenario.
"The DPRK military is already fighting in Europe. Who could have imagined this before?" he remarked. - Shadow fleet and sabotage: Yermak highlighted that Russia's shadow fleet, known for sabotaging European cables, might not be the only threat.
"Impunity breeds permissiveness. This is the moment that demands strong decisions and decisive actions," he added.
Additionally, NATO's Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid, and Cyber Technologies, James Appathurai, told Sky News that an unconventional Russian attack on NATO—such as sabotage or arson—poses a significant risk of severe consequences.
Appathurai noted that all 32 NATO member states are now facing Russian hybrid attacks across Europe, the United States, and Canada at a level that would have been considered "absolutely unacceptable" just five years ago.
More "kinetic" actions, such as:
- cutting vital undersea cables,
- sabotaging buildings,
- planting incendiary devices in aircraft cargo,
have notably increased since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
"We can definitely count dozens—up to 100 for sure. But there are still many more plots that have been foiled," said Appathurai.
When asked whether a potential Russian hybrid attack could escalate to the point of triggering NATO's Article 5—under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on all—and lead to war with Russia, Appathurai expressed concern.
"What really worries me is that one of these attacks could escalate on a large scale," he said.
"There is a real prospect that such an attack could result in significant casualties or very substantial economic losses," Appathurai concluded.
