Russian state TV discusses invasion plan for seizing Baltic states as Nato sends thousands of troops to eastern Europe
RUSSIAN state TV has aired a discussion on seizing the Baltic states as Nato bolster Eastern European allies with thousands more troops.
A former senior officer laid out a chilling scenario for Putin’s army capturing Nato countries Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, as well as grabbing parts of neutral Sweden.
Thousands of Nato troops have been taking part in exercises near the Russian border and plans are being drawn up for a huge permanent presence in eastern Europe.
After gaining their independence when the Soviet Union collapsed, all three Baltic states joined Nato and continue to fear Vladimir Putin has designs on destabilising and invading, as he’s done in Ukraine.
Just such a scenario was outlined on Russian state TV channel Rossiya 1 by Colonel Igor Korotchenko, formerly of the Russian General Staff and air force and currently a reserve officer.
The pro-Kremlin expert said: “This is how the scenario for capturing the Baltic countries might look”.
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Using maps in English with Nato troop deployments marked, he outlines in sinister detail the invasion scenario.
At the beginning “a massive Russian radio-electronic strike is inflicted” as “all Nato radars go blind and see nothing”.
Drawing on the map with more and more red lines, he then turns to how Russia will overpower its foes.
“At this time, on the Swedish island Gotland, Russian military planes land, delivering S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, and Bastion coastal anti-ship systems,” he said.
“They are deployed – and for now no-one knows or sees anything. The West wonders: ‘Why do we see nothing? What happened to our radars?’”
Sweden has traditionally been neutral but fears that Russia may try to grab the strategically important island of Gotland has led it to bolster its armed forces.
Korotchenko goes onto explain the Russians would push out from the enclave of Kaliningrad towards the Suwalki corridor to block access to reinforcements from Poland.
“The astonished West and Nato will know that Russia declares a no-fly zone of 400km,” he said, as the programme host nods approvingly.
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He then goes onto explain that the “entire Baltic sea” would then be under target from Russian forces.
Korotchenko went on that “that those few special forces troops of Canada, UK, Germany and the USA, in the Baltic” will be “surrounded” by a Russian airborne forces and then “lay down their arms”.
The scenario ends with the new Baltic states governments pledging allegiance to Moscow while Sweden agrees to perpetual neutrality and a 99 lease on Gotland.
The programme went out on Russian television as the end of last year but was posted by Ukrainian government advisor Anton Gerashchenko.
It has echoes of a televised address given by dictator Alexander Lukashenko in which he appeared to have revealed Moldova could be the next country to be invaded by Russia.
The three Baltic states were independent nations until seized by the former Soviet Union in 1939 before they regained their freedom when the Communist giant collapsed.
Fears of further Russian action following the invasion of Ukraine has now prompted Nato to begin planning for what its Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called the “new reality”.
It comes as…
- Russia has now lost a fourth general in its faltering invasion of Ukraine.
- Footage appears to show the horrific moment Russian soldiers shoot dead a civilian as he holds up his hands.
- Mums have been forced to leave their tiny premature babies behind at a hospital.
- Russia has slapped a ban on Joe Biden and called for Alaska to become part of its territory again.
- Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted Ukraine may never join Nato in a key concession that could pave the way to peace.
- Ukraine has an unexpected trick up its sleeve in the battle against Russian forces and it comes in the form of a relatively cheap drone.
- A nine-year-old girl has lost her arm after Russian forces machine-gunned her family when they tried to flee Kyiv.
- Oligarchs including Roman Abramovich they may never be able to return to Britain, says Liz Truss.
Nato exercises in the Arctic include troops from 27 countries, 200 aircraft and 50 vessels for an exercise just a few miles from the Russian border.
The aim is to test how Norway and Alliance members would work together on land, in the air, and at sea in line with Article 5 of Nato’s charter.
That requires member states to come to the defence of another member state under attack.
Ahead of a summit of Nato leaders on March 24, will tell military draw up plans for new ways to deter Russia, including more troops and missile defences in eastern Europe.
“The surprise for Putin was the West was so united,” Estonian Defence Minister Kalle Laanet said as he arrived at the Nato meeting.
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“He didn’t believe that. He has the wrong picture about western countries,”
“We can’t be afraid, we have to stay calm, because Putin would like to see that everybody is afraid.”
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