If Vladimir Putin Attacks NATO: Expert Fears Threat From Russia

If Russia does attack NATO, Vladimir Putin could occupy a key negotiating city, according to one expert. Middle: German Bundeswehr soldiers.

VILNIUS – Imagine living in a big city where Moscow dictator Vladimir Putin can do whatever he wants with his impetuous imperialism. Much quoted from the German political scientist Christian Moling German Association for Foreign Policy (DGAP) In the ARD document “NATO – Who Will Defend Europe?” warned.

Is Vladimir Putin Attacking NATO? Expert warns about Baltic situation

Specifically: An expert on the Ukraine war and Russia's regime has theorized that Putin could attack the NATO security alliance in the Baltics and hold the Lithuanian capital Vilnius hostage — including some 570,000 people who live there.

“The story goes like this: it's about 30 or 40 kilometers from the Russian border to Vilnius. With a massive deployment of material and soldiers, Russia actually manages to get Vilnius. “They lose a lot of people, but they take Vilnius and offer peace talks,” Mölling told ARD of such a situation. And explained: “It's not about NATO's military strength, but about political unity and the question: Are Germany and Paris sending soldiers to liberate Vilnius?” Or not?”

Russian attack on Lithuania feared: Belarus must help Putin's regime

First: There are currently no signs of such an attack. And: the Russian border is actually 230 kilometers from Vilnius. and: are between Latvia and Belarus. But: Mölling's theory includes the fact that dictator Alexander Lukashenko's Minsk regime is once again aiding the Kremlin regime of another autocrat, Putin, and making its country a staging ground for Russian troops.

In February 2022, the Russian army from Belarus treacherously invaded Ukraine and marched on Kiev from the north, stopping in the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital with significant losses. Because it is about 20 kilometers from the Belarusian border to the outskirts of Vilnius in Lithuania. An entire city held hostage by Putin for negotiations? An Italian newspaper reported the news in early April RepublicFrench President Emmanuel Macron fears exactly this scenario for Odessa in southern Ukraine. That is why NATO is demanding more weapons for Kiev.

The Suwalki Gap between Poland and the Baltic States: NATO's Achilles' Heel Against Putin

About the Baltics: So far, the so-called “Suwalki gap” on the Lithuanian-Polish border has received NATO's attention. From here, near the Polish city of Suwalkan, it is about 104 kilometers from the Belarusian border to Russian Kaliningrad (see map below), where Moscow's Baltic Fleet has an undetermined number of soldiers. NATO worries that Putin's Russia could try to cut off the Baltic states, along with Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, from the rest of the alliance.

The possible defense of the Baltics is therefore an essential part of the major NATO exercise “Steadfast Defender”, in which the Bundeswehr sent 4,500 soldiers from Panzerbrigade 12 “Oberpfalz” to Poland in May from the 10th Panzer Division over Poland. Quadrica 24”. Transferred to Lithuania. German troops were to train with Polish and Lithuanian units to defend the Suwalki Corridor.

Bundeswehr in the Baltics: German soldiers are stationed in Lithuania

In the event of a Russian advance on Vilnius through Belarus, the Lithuanian army of around 14,500 soldiers (the country has no air force) and the “NATO Enhanced Forward Reserve Battle Group Lithuania” already stationed internally in Rukla will be initially there. own The Lithuanian Army has 88 modern German-made GTK armored wheeled tanks and 200 older M113 personnel carriers as base equipment.

the sea Global Firepower Index (GFP) As of March 28, only 14 of the Lithuanians' 21 self-propelled howitzers were operational. It is self-propelled artillery like Bundeswehr. Putin's annexation of Crimea, in violation of international law, resulted in a NATO battlegroup being sent to Lithuania (about 2.8 million people) in 2017. Of the 1,600 armed forces, the Bundeswehr is the majority (about 800) and takes command of the Forward Combat Group.

Nine Leopard 2s for Lithuania: Bundeswehr sends troops and tanks from Bavaria

ARD documentary “NATO – Who will defend Europe?” Which gave insight into which weapons: Parts of the 104th Tank Battalion from Sam in eastern Bavaria recently left for the Baltic with nine Leopard 2 main battle tanks. They will be the only main battle tanks in the entire alliance, along with CV 90 armored personnel carriers from the Dutch and Norwegian and Patria armored personnel carriers from the Croatian company. That will happen if Putin's forces invade. (evening)