US intelligence warns Russia could test NATO's Article 5 as soon as this fall
US officials tell CBS News and the Wall Street Journal that Russia may attempt a hybrid attack or limited incursion on NATO's eastern flank within months, testing the alliance's Article 5 commitment.
US intelligence officials say Russian President Vladimir Putin could be increasingly willing to authorize provocative actions extending onto NATO territory, including hybrid operations and cyberattacks, as early as this fall. The goal would not necessarily be a broader war but to test NATO's unity and Washington's willingness to respond under Article 5, according to CBS News. The Wall Street Journal reports the window for such a test could open this fall and extend to 2029, with the Baltic states and Poland seen as likely targets. The assessment comes as Russia is losing roughly 30,000 troops a month in Ukraine, more than it can recruit, according to US officials. Source: CBS News, Wall Street Journal.