NATO Draws Up 3-Step Plan to Fight Russia if Putin Attacks the Baltics
NATO has developed detailed plans for how it would respond if Russia launched an attack on the Baltic states, including a possible invasion of Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania.
According to German newspaper Bild, the plans reportedly form part of NATO’s “Land Warfighting Concept,” which was developed under the leadership of US Army Major Andrew Pingrey. The reported strategy focuses on stopping Russian forces, disrupting their ability to wage war and pushing an invading force back to Russia’s borders.
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As per Bild, the concept outlines three main elements of a potential NATO response.
Striking Russian missiles and air defenses
If Russian forces launched missile and drone attacks against the Baltic states and followed them with a conventional ground invasion, NATO would first seek to suppress the Russian missile threat.
The reported plan calls for fighter jets, missiles and drones to target Russian missile systems. Kaliningrad, the Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea, would be a particular focus because of its concentration of air-defense and missile systems.
Creating an autonomous drone zone
At the same time, NATO would establish an “autonomous zone” along its borders with Russia and Belarus, according to Bild. The zone would serve as a defensive barrier, with drones and unmanned military vehicles operating against advancing Russian forces. NATO troops would not be permanently stationed inside the zone.
If Russian forces continued their advance, unmanned systems would be used to slow or stop them, the report said.
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Striking Russian military infrastructure
The third element would involve attacks on targets inside Russia.
According to Bild, NATO special forces could target key military and logistical infrastructure, including airfields, defense factories, bridges and railway lines used to move Russian troops and equipment.
The reported concept also envisages working with Russians opposed to President Vladimir Putin in an effort to disrupt military supplies and weaken further Russian attacks.
Bild additionally reported that NATO plans to establish an “air bridge” through which drones and robotic systems could be transported by aircraft into Russia. These systems could then target military bases and airfields.
NATO’s stated goal: Defend, not conquer
The alliance’s reported concept reads that NATO would not seek to occupy or conquer Russia. Instead, the objective would be to stop an invading Russian force and push it back toward Russia’s borders.
The reported strategy also reflects a broader emphasis on deterrence. According to Bild, NATO military planners do not necessarily want the concept to remain secret, arguing that deterrence works best when Russia knows what it could face if it attacks a NATO member.