Czech intelligence chief warns of possible attack on one of Baltic states to assess NATO’s response

Seyma Erkul Dayanc

The Czech intelligence chief warned on Monday that it is more likely that a NATO member state could face a limited attack aimed at testing the alliance’s response, rather than a large-scale Russian assault, according to Czech Radio.

“It is more likely that one member state of NATO, probably in the Baltic region, could be attacked in order to test the alliance’s response,” Czech Security Information Service (BIS) Director Michal Koudelka said at a security conference in the Czech Chamber of Deputies, or the lower house of the parliament.

Koudelka said Europe is not currently facing the threat of a massive attack similar to Russia’s war in Ukraine but warned of a different scenario.

He called for unity among Western countries, saying a clear and firm stance is necessary to deter potential aggression.

“It is necessary to unequivocally declare unity and determination to defend ourselves, which is the only way to deter the Russian aggressor from this very dangerous adventure,” he said.

Koudelka also cautioned against relying too heavily on Russian assurances or reacting excessively to threats.

“We should assess everything with courage and a cool head,” he added.