Europe is preparing for Russian President Vladimir Putin to expand his country’s war in Ukraine and attack NATO ally countries next year

Europe is preparing for Russian President Vladimir Putin to expand his country’s war in Ukraine and attack NATO ally countries next year, per NYP.


According to the report, which obtained the classified military information from the German Ministry of Defense, the armed forces of the country are preparing for a potential "hybrid" Russian attack in Eastern Europe.

The newspaper outlined multiple alarming scenarios that could unfold in the coming months. One such scenario, named "Alliance Defense 2025," envisions Russia mobilizing an additional 200,000 soldiers starting in February. Taking advantage of Western financial support for Ukraine drying up, Russia could launch a massive "spring offensive" against Ukrainian armed forces.

The scenario suggests that by July, Russia might initiate warfare in the Baltics, employing "severe cyberattacks" while fostering discontent among Russian nationals in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. By September, these clashes could provide a pretext for Russia to unleash "Zapad 2024," a large-scale military "exercise" amassing around 50,000 Russian soldiers in the west of the country and Belarus.

The documents propose that Russia could then move troops and mid-range missiles to Kaliningrad, a Russian territory between Lithuania and Poland. Propaganda warning of an imminent NATO attack might be used to justify actions with the ultimate goal of conquering the Suwalki Gap, a narrow Polish-Lithuanian corridor between Belarus and Kaliningrad.

In December, according to the worst-case-scenario exercise, Russia could exploit the transition period following the US presidential election, using propaganda to incite violence in the Suwalki Gap area. Following a UN Security Council meeting in January 2025, Russia could falsely accuse Western allies of plotting against Putin's regime, rallying troops to Belarus and the Baltics by March 2025.

In this scenario, the leaked document suggests that 30,000 German troops would be deployed for defense, while an estimated 70,000 Russian forces would have gathered in Belarus. By May 2025, NATO might enact "measures for credible deterrence" in response to the Russian buildup, potentially leading to combat between Western troops and Russian forces.

While these plans are a potential scenario prepared by German army generals, European allies are taking Russia's threat seriously and preparing accordingly, despite Putin and Russian officials repeatedly denying any intention to escalate the conflict beyond Ukraine's borders.