Yesterday at 19:44
Leonīds Kalniņš, Commander of Latvia’s National Armed Forces (NAF), who will leave his post in January, stated that a full-scale Russian attack on the Baltic States is currently entirely ruled out.
His remarks were reported by Delfi.
Kalniņš noted that Russia is currently engaged in the war in Ukraine and is suffering “significant losses.” However, it still retains the capacity for sabotage or very small localized operations.
“If we consider a much larger scale, such as a total attack on the entire country, Latvia, or the Baltic States, it is, of course, completely ruled out,” he said.
The NAF Commander reminded that even in the case of minor localized aggression against any area in the Baltics, NATO allies would respond immediately under Article 5 of the NATO Treaty.
“I can say with full confidence that Article 5 works, and no one has canceled it,” Kalniņš added.
He also emphasized that Russian policy is focused on a comprehensive approach in hybrid attacks, including sabotage in the physical realm, cyber space, and attempts to influence society by inciting dissatisfaction, for instance, regarding the economic situation.
Recently, NATO stated that there is a “real possibility” that an unconventional Russian attack on the Alliance — such as sabotage or arson — could result in “significant” consequences.
Additionally, it is worth noting that the Moldovan parliament recently approved a 10-year National Defense Strategy after lengthy debates, identifying Russia as a key threat factor.
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