Fear of attack from Russia: NATO is moving missiles closer to Putin's border. The Patriot system could soon be deployed on a rotational basis in Lithuania to serve as a deterrent against a Russian attack on NATO's eastern flank.
The background is primarily the fear of several European countries that Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine could ultimately lead to a larger conflict between Russia and NATO. The Estonian foreign intelligence service has stated that Russia is preparing for war against the NATO countries within the next ten years. And while Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ridicules leaked “plans” for a war between NATO and Russia, Putin’s confidant Medvedev sees red.