An investigation by Danish public broadcaster DR, in collaboration with several other European outlets, has revealed that Russia is significantly expanding its military infrastructure and troop presence near its borders with NATO member states. Unnamed Nordic intelligence chiefs and top military officers indicated that Russia's buildup is directed towards Finland, Norway, and the Baltic states.
According to the report, the threat of a Russian attack is considered the largest in the next one to three years, as Europe is still in the process of bolstering its own defense capabilities. Major Brian Nissen stated that any future conflict would occur across all dimensions, including land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace.
NATO documents from the past year and threat assessments from various European countries corroborate the growing threat. Sweden's military intelligence has specifically assessed that Russia has increased its combat soldier deployment in preparation for a potential conflict, with intelligence chief Thomas Nilsson suggesting these forces are intended for a larger confrontation with NATO.
Geolocated satellite imagery published by The Telegraph shows new military installations near the NATO border, including barracks, dining halls, and storage facilities in various locations along Russia's border with Finland. A new military base is also under construction near Novaya Vilga in Russia's Karelia region. Additionally, an increased presence of military vehicles has been observed near the Estonia-Russia border, and troop numbers are expanding at a military base in Russia's Kaliningrad exclave.
