The Russian Federation may resort to increased escalation. This is evidenced by her statements that the United States is allegedly using Ukraine as a proxy to weaken Russia.
Russia may not seek direct military conflict with the US and NATO, but the potential for this exists.
This is stated in the report on global threats to US national security.
The document notes that Russian leaders have so far avoided actions that would extend the war in Ukraine beyond its borders, “but the risk of escalation remains significant.”
US intelligence data points to a real potential for Russian failures on the battlefield in Ukraine to hurt President Vladimir Putin's domestic standing. This may provoke additional escalation actions from the Russian Federation in an attempt to regain public support.
“Stronger claims that the United States is using Ukraine as a proxy to weaken Russia, and that Ukraine’s military successes are only the result of US and NATO interference, may portend further escalation from Russia ,” US intelligence said.
They added that Russian officials have long believed that the United States is trying to undermine their state, weaken Putin and establish regimes friendly with the West in former Soviet states and other countries. If Russia wishes, this gives her the opportunity to escalate or expand the war.
Recall that in February, Bloomberg reported that NATO member countries are developing secret instructions in case the Alliance is involved in a conflict, when the allies will have to protect each other under Article 5. The essence of the article is that an attack on one of the NATO countries is considered an attack on all countries of the North Atlantic Alliance.
Later, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO should be ready for a long confrontation with Russia “after the immediate crisis provoked by President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.”
And at the end of February, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said that the Alliance should be prepared for the fact that Russia will try to invade the Baltic countries.
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