Russia escalates Baltic tension with NATO through military expansion

According to Lithuanian intelligence, Russia is preparing for a long-term confrontation with NATO, with the Baltic Sea region being a key focus. Since 2023, Finland became a member of NATO, and Russia has systematically increased its presence in the Baltic Sea.

The most recent report by Lithuanian intelligence, published on Thursday and focusing on national security issues, states that the Kremlin has initiated a significant reform of its armed forces. These reforms enhance Russia's military capabilities, particularly in the Baltic Sea region.

"The planned structural and command system changes are already being implemented. These reforms are currently taking place in the Kaliningrad Oblast and the western parts of Russia," highlighted the Lithuanian intelligence in the report.

Lithuania reports that after Finland's NATO membership in 2023, Russia stationed warships on Lake Ladoga equipped with Kalibr anti-ship cruise missiles. In the same timeframe, Russia deployed five heavy Tu-22M3 bombers in the Baltic Sea region.

The report also mentions that Russia allocates substantial financial resources to the war in Ukraine. Despite not achieving its operational goals, Russia is unwilling to de-escalate the conflict.

"Simultaneously, Russia is gearing up for a protracted stand-off with NATO, including in the Baltic Sea region. The strategy involves gradually enhancing its military presence towards the west," the report indicates.

The document also highlights that Russia's spending on the Ukraine conflict in the first half of 2023 significantly exceeded the budget initially allocated for the entire year. This year, Russia has already spent at least one-third of its military budget in 2024, amounting to more than 10 trillion rubles, or roughly £88 billion (about $111 billion).

Moreover, according to Lithuanian intelligence, Belarus, under Russian influence, is advancing its nuclear weapon capabilities. Upgrades to nuclear weapon storage facilities are underway, and Belarusian Armed Forces personnel are receiving training for using such weapons.

In 2023, Belarus acquired a significant volume of new military equipment and weaponry from Russia, including Iskander missile systems with a striking distance of nearly 500 km, a battalion of BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers, S-400 air defence missile systems, and Mi-35M attack helicopters, as noted in the text.

Source: RMF FM, PAP