Russia26 September, 20263 min read
Putin Says Russia Is Not Preparing Hostile Actions Against Europe After Danish Intelligence Warns NATO Attack
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Putin states Russia is not preparing hostile actions against Europe. European authorities warn of Russian threats to NATO member states amid heightened tensions.
Putin denies hostile plans
Vladimir Putin told reporters at the Saint Petersburg International Cultural Forum that Russia “is not preparing to undertake any hostile actions against Europe,” after European warnings of a “possible Russian attack” on a NATO member state. Putin warned that Ukraine should not continue attacks on Russian infrastructure, saying that escalation “will make things worse for Kyiv,” while he confirmed that Moscow “has begun to respond to every move by Ukraine.” Putin said Russia “is not preparing to engage in any military actions against Europe” and added, “Everyone, and many in Europe, expect an attack from Russia and believe they must be prepared for military action, for a war with Russia.”
Danish intelligence warned on Thursday that Russia could launch a “limited military offensive” against a NATO state in the coming months, pointing to a “low but increasing” risk of Moscow deploying a limited number of troops or using long-range weapons to strike infrastructure supporting Ukraine. Putin described Estonian Defence Minister Martin Herem’s statements about a possible clash with Russia as an “provocation.”
Europe weighs escalation risks
European military experts tracked “urgent danger signs” suggesting Vladimir Putin may be preparing for a direct escalation against the NATO alliance, and Justin Bronk said public intelligence briefings indicate Russia is “planning [some] sort of aggression.” Bronk warned that the planning means “the risk of it has risen significantly,” while Radoslaw Sikorski said Putin was “cooking up something big this year” during a panel discussion as part of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Denmark’s government threat assessment raised the prospect of a Russian missile attack on NATO infrastructure used to support Ukraine, and the report said such an attack could happen within weeks.
Germany’s government directly blamed Putin for an attempted drone strike on Leipzig’s airport that appeared to target aircraft carrying supplies to Kyiv, and a Russian drone then attacked a Ukrainian passenger train on the border with Poland. RIA Novosti published a story headlined “Russia is facing another short SVO,” which it said would be “short,” and it raised the possibility of missile strikes against Lithuania while suggesting nuclear weapons were not out of the question.
Germany urges de-escalation
Germany urged Vladimir Putin to stop Russia’s “dangerous path of escalation” against it and other Nato countries, and Johann Wadephul met Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Lavrov dismissed Wadephul’s concerns and accused Germany of prolonging the war by supporting Ukraine, and Lavrov asked in his speech, “Does Berlin understand what this could lead to?”
The Independent said Russia and Ukraine ramped up aerial attacks on Saturday, with at least 10 people killed across both countries, despite Donald Trump’s plea for a peace deal.
Trump told Zelensky to make a deal with Vladimir Putin to end the war, and Trump said, “You know what I want him to do? Make a deal,” at the UN General Assembly earlier this week in New York.
In Kyiv, Ukraine’s emergency service said a man was found dead after a Russian drone hit a non-residential building overnight, and it said another drone struck a single-story vehicle repair shop, leaving firefighters battling the blaze into early Sunday.