"We Didn't Expect It": NATO Officials Shocked by Putin's Political Determination

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine surprised even NATO officials – at least in this form. Tagespiegel learned this from two high-ranking soldiers in one of the Coalition armies. It is true that Russia’s military capabilities were not underestimated, but rather its political determination.

“We did not expect Vladimir Putin to now intend to overthrow the government in Kiev,” said an official dealing with the situation in Eastern Europe. “We did not expect Moscow troops to immediately attack targets in central Ukraine.”

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After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kailas said on Thursday that he already had intelligence about it. However, it is not clear how specific this information was and when exactly it was sent to neighboring countries and NATO.

He also wrote on Twitter that he strongly condemned the attack. This is a crime that requires a clear international response and a strong response.

The Baltic heads of state and government pledged their support to the government in Kiev: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania also recently wanted to deliver military materials to Ukraine, and the three Baltic states have been part of NATO since 2004. The headquarters of the multinational NATO Corps in Szczecin, Poland, is formally responsible for the entire region.

The United States has increased its presence in recent weeks, particularly in Eastern Europe, but it has also been clear so far: NATO countries will not fight Russian troops in Ukraine.

Ukraine is neither NATO nor a member of the European Union, even though a significant part of the population, especially in the west of the country, advocates it.

More information about the Russian attack on Ukraine in Tagspiegal Plus:

Within NATO, the area around Memel in southern Lithuania is considered particularly vulnerable. there is The Lithuanian-Polish border strip, which is only about 70 kilometers long, To the northwest is Russian Kaliningrad, an exclave with Moscow troops, to the southeast is Russia’s ally Belarus, in which Putin recently trained his units as well.

In NATO, some have raised fears in recent yearsRussia could occupy the narrow Lithuanian-Polish corridor, the Baltic states would initially be cut off from other NATO states.