Russia will remain a threat to its neighbors even after Putin, according to Swedish intelligence
Thomas Nilsson, head of Sweden’s Military Intelligence and Security Service, stated that Russia will continue to pose a threat to its neighboring countries even after Vladimir Putin’s rule ends.
According to Nilsson, the current standoff between Russia and the West is long-term in nature and is unlikely to end anytime soon.
“We do not view this crisis as temporary. Russia has chosen its path, and there is no turning back. We are in a strategic confrontation that is deep, structural, and long-lasting. We cannot expect this to go away on its own,” Nilsson said.
He emphasized that the Russian threat to countries in the region will persist even after Putin leaves power.
Earlier, national broadcasters in Northern Europe released satellite images showing a buildup of Russian military presence near NATO’s eastern flank.
At the same time, Russia claims that the infrastructure being built is purely defensive in nature.
According to the head of Swedish intelligence, Moscow plans to form a larger force grouping along its borders with NATO countries, but the implementation of these plans is currently limited due to the war against Ukraine.
“In our assessment, as soon as Russia restores the necessary resources and capabilities, it will attempt to carry out these plans,” Nilsson noted.
Previously, Vladimir Putin had repeatedly criticized Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO following the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine and declared his intention to deploy additional troops in response to the Alliance’s expansion.
He expressed this view in an interview with Bloomberg.
According to a new survey, the overwhelming majority of Russian citizens support ending the war against Ukraine as soon as possible, which is the highest figure since the start of the full-scale invasion.
In addition, according to the Russian Public Opinion Foundation (FOM), Russians’ level of trust in Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has dropped to 69%—the lowest figure since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine.
