NATO secret paper sees Russia as a threat: New Cold War in the Balkans is said to be imminent
Created: 06/07/2022, 10:49 p.m
By: Richard Strobl
Aleksandar Vucic (M), President of Serbia, receives Vladimir Putin (l), President of Russia.
(Archive) © Darko Vojinovic/dpa
Russia apparently also wants to expand its influence in the Balkans.
A NATO secret paper should now show these fears.
Belgrade - "The unthinkable has happened"!
With these pithy words, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commented on an airspace closure for his flight to Belgrade.
The neighboring countries of Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro had refused Lavrov's government plane the overflight.
A side event of the Ukraine war?
Probably not at all, because a secret NATO report now apparently warns that Russia is trying to expand its influence in the Balkans and speaks of a "fragile" situation.
NATO secret document warns of a new Cold War in the Balkans
"The Western Balkans is a region in which Russia has long been active with political provocations," the Business Insider
quoted
from the secret paper available there.
Accordingly, Russia is trying to counter the influence of the EU in the region and undermine the West on the ground.
However, the threat level is currently assessed as low, the situation as calm - but also "fragile".
The paper goes on to say, "Russia's increasing meddling threatens to fuel further divisions amid already strained ethnic and political ties in the region."
The complicated situation in the Balkans is helping Russia.
In addition, there is relative freedom in disinformation campaigns.
According to the report, NATO expects that Russia will continue to try to undermine NATO's successes.
In the report,
Business Insider
says that a new Cold War is looming in the Balkans - and East and West could then face each other hostilely again.
Accordingly, this would be primarily conducted through propaganda.
Russia against NATO: China should also be involved
NATO wants to counter this now, for example, to prevent Russia from spreading its myth that the invasion of Ukraine was merely a reaction to NATO's actions.
According to the report, China is also involved.
NATO should assume that Beijing will support Russia propaganda on the one hand.
On the other hand, it will also present itself as an alternative to Russia in the region.
A double game by China, so to speak.
Whether the airspace closure for Lavrov's flight is a reaction to this secret report remains open for the time being.
(rjs)