Sergey Naryshkin’s comments likely to stoke concern that Russia could threaten other European states after Ukraine.
Russia’s foreign intelligence chief has threatened that Poland and the Baltic States will be targeted in the event of NATO “aggression”.
Sergey Naryshkin said in an interview published on Tuesday that Russia would inflict “damage” on the entire military alliance if NATO threatens it or Belarus, but that Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia would be “the first to suffer”.
His comments to state news agency RIA Novosti will offer support to claims that Moscow would turn its eye on Europe’s former members of the Eastern Bloc should its invasion of Ukraine fulfil its goals.
The spy chief blamed an increase in NATO military activity near the borders of Russia and Belarus for “the current major, very dangerous crisis on the European continent”.
“Poland and the Baltic republics are particularly aggressive, at least in words, they are constantly rattling their weapons,” he said.
“They should understand, although they do not yet understand, that in the event of aggression from the North Atlantic Alliance against the Union State, damage will certainly be inflicted on the entire NATO bloc, but to a greater extent the first to suffer will be the bearers of such ideas among the political circles of Poland and the Baltic countries,” he noted.
Naryskin noted in particular what he called Poland’s recent announcement that it is seeking access to nuclear weapons.
President Emmanuel Macron suggested last month that France could extend its nuclear umbrella to cover European allies. Polish President Andrzej Duda responded by saying such a move would be “beneficial for Polish security”.
The Russian spy chief also claimed Poland plans to “install about two million antitank mines along the borders of Belarus and the Kaliningrad region”.
Poland and the Baltic States announced last month that, fearing the resurgence of Russian aggression, they were withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty banning the use of landmines.
Naryshkin restated Russia’s strategic goals in peace talks, saying the Kremlin did not want Ukraine to possess nuclear weapons and that it was seeking “demilitarisation and denazification” of the country.
Critics worry that, as the United States attempts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, it is set to reward Moscow with territorial and security concessions.
That, they assert, will encourage Russia’s expansionist ambitions, and enable it to re-arm, re-deploy, and bite further into Europe.