The President of Estonia has predicted the possible timing of a Russian attack

Estonian President Alar Karis believes that Russia is unlikely to attack Estonia in the near future. However, he said that in 5, 10 or 15 years’ time the situation could change, so Tallinn must prepare in advance for various scenarios. Karis made these remarks during an interview on‘Espresso’.

In the Estonian president’s view, Russia is currently in a weak position, so he does not see any immediate threat of an attack in the near future. At the same time, Karis emphasised that it is impossible to predict Moscow’s actions in the long term. This is precisely why Estonia must take potential risks into account for years to come.

“Anything could happen, but we must be prepared for any turn of events. And this preparedness is very important,” said the President.

Estonia is preparing for various scenarios

Kariss noted that the country is already working on preparations for possible threats. One of the most challenging tasks in this regard remains the protection of the civilian population. According to the President, this is not just a matter of military preparedness. The authorities must understand in advance how to respond to various emergencies and how to ensure the safety of the population.

Kariss believes that we cannot afford to wait until the threat becomes imminent.

“We are talking about five, ten, fifteen years. A lot can change in that time,” remarked the Estonian leader.

Stubb does not believe Russia will attack NATO

Earlier, the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, also stated that he does not expect Russia to attack NATO countries.

“I simply see no evidence or facts to support this. I do not believe that Russia will ever want to attack the world’s most powerful military alliance – NATO,” said Stubb.

It is worth recalling that on 27 August, The Guardian reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe, during a visit to Moscow, may have conveyed a warning to the Russian side not to attack NATO countries, particularly Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. However, the ISW has found no signs that Russia is preparing for a large-scale invasion of the Baltic states – in particular, there is no observable major build-up of Russian troops near the borders comparable to the situation prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Analysts, however, do not rule out a smaller-scale scenario – a limited incursion or strike, which would not necessarily be preceded by a significant redeployment of troops.