Officially, Russia is only targeting Ukraine in its “special military operation,” but Baltic States feel they have everything to fear from Russian ambitions.
In order to avert the threat, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have already ramped up their military potential and spending, and plan to go further still. And NATO has carefully implemented “reassurance measures”, with increased interactions and rising military presence. Will the Baltic States be silent observers of the Russian invasion of their neighbor?
Or are they next in line as potential military victims of the onslaught?
Naturally, this question has been on Baltic minds since the invasion, as most inhabitants of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia can still remember the days of when Moscow ruled over them with a heavy hand. Those fears are not only the makings of post-traumatic perspectives. Russia is indeed eager to get their old influence sphere back, with their economic and military standing somewhat stabilized, at least until cards were reshuffled with the Ukrainian invasion.
