The Economist wrote who will be next after Ukraine

Estonia is seen as one of the most likely targets for another Russian aggression, as Moscow has several convenient conditions for such a move. This is reported by The Economist.

The smallest of the three Baltic republics was ruled for about two centuries by the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union, forces that the Kremlin now seeks to restore. The country's length from the Russian border to the Baltic Sea is less than 300 kilometres, depriving Estonia of significant strategic depth. In addition, the flat landscape makes the territory vulnerable to military invasion," the publication points out.

The authors of the material note that in the period from the 1950s to the 1980s, the Soviet authorities resettled hundreds of thousands of ethnic Russians in Estonia, who today make up about 20% of the country's population (1.4 million people). Especially many of them live in Narva, a border town where the overwhelming majority are descendants of those resettlers. For many of them, the USSR remains a "lost homeland" rather than an occupying force, as perceived by Estonians. Russian propaganda actively exploits these sentiments in an attempt to increase its influence on the Russian-speaking minority.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian authorities have staged provocative actions on 9 May every year. On the Russian side, opposite Narva, a huge screen and loudspeakers are installed on the river bank, broadcasting the military parade in Moscow. Crowds of Russian-speaking residents of Narva are going to watch these broadcasts, which is alarming the Estonian authorities. Among them are those who feel nostalgic for "brotherly times", who are dissatisfied with "Estonian nationalism", as well as supporters of the Russian leadership. However, this is only part of the large-scale hybrid campaign that Russia has been waging against Estonia in recent years. Cyberattacks, agent infiltration, sabotage and information operations using bots on social media are all being used," the newspaper says.

The Economist warns that the war in Ukraine has heightened fears of a possible Russian invasion of Estonia, and the end of the conflict could free up resources for new aggression.

In response, NATO is increasing its military presence in the region - there are now more than 2,000 allied troops stationed in Estonia. However, against the backdrop of the reduction of the US contingent in Europe, Estonia risks becoming a place where Russia will test the strength of Article 5 of NATO's collective defence charter.