US Intel Warns Putin May Test NATO With Limited Attack

Recent US intelligence assessments indicate Russian President Vladimir Putin could attempt to test NATO's resolve by launching a limited attack on an allied country within the next few years.

These assessments outline several possible scenarios for Russian escalation, ranging from a cyberattack to a small-scale incursion. Officials noted a change in Putin's risk calculus compared to recent months, suggesting a greater willingness to take actions that could challenge NATO without directly triggering conventional conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed that Putin is secretly mobilizing half a million men, also as a threat against Europe.

Meanwhile, Russia's sole anti-war party, Yabloko, is seeking to boost its support in upcoming parliamentary elections in September. The liberal party aims to use the elections to promote its anti-war message and advocate for a ceasefire, sensing public frustration with the Ukraine war. Russian parliamentary elections have been consistently won by the ruling United Russia party since 2003.

Some reporting suggests that Ukraine's attacks might inadvertently benefit Putin. Yashin expressed a reluctant willingness to take power if Putin is ousted. US intelligence has also warned that Russia could force war on Britain within weeks, citing a potential NATO incursion. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported fires and explosions in two districts of Kyiv.