Denmark’s defence intelligence service has warned that Russia could launch a limited military attack against a NATO country within months.
In a report published on Thursday, the agency described a “low but growing risk” that Russia could carry out long-range strikes against NATO infrastructure supporting Ukraine or stage a limited incursion into a neighbouring country.
The intelligence service said Moscow could also intensify hybrid attacks across Europe, including cyber-attacks and sabotage with potentially serious consequences.
However, it said an outright Russian invasion of a NATO member remained “highly unlikely”, although it “cannot be ruled out”.
The report warned Russia could seek to test NATO’s Article 5 collective defence commitment if Moscow believes alliance members may fail to respond together, particularly if it doubts US support for European allies.
The warning came after a fire damaged a Starlink satellite station in Poland. Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski described the incident as an “act of sabotage”, but authorities have not established who was responsible.
Russia has denied involvement in previous suspected sabotage attacks across Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also warned at the UN General Assembly that Russia posed a threat beyond Ukraine.
“The more freedom Putin has to act, the more dangerous the world becomes for everyone else,” he said.