U.S. intelligence agencies warn Putin could test NATO by authorizing provocative actions
U.S. intelligence officials warn that Vladimir Putin may authorize hybrid operations or cyberattacks against NATO territory to test the alliance's resolve. These concerns follow a series of recent incidents, including drone incursions and suspected sabotage across Europe.
Why it matters
The assessment suggests a potential escalation in Russian aggression that could challenge the stability of the NATO alliance and Western security policy.
American intelligence assessments indicate Russian President Vladimir Putin could be increasingly willing to authorize provocative actions that could extend onto NATO territory, U.S. officials briefed on the matter told CBS News.Those actions could include hybrid operations, cyberattacks and other deniable measures short of a conventional military campaign, the officials said.The assessments reflect a shift in Putin's risk calculus compared with just a few months ago, U.S. officials say. The likely goal would not necessarily be to trigger a broader conflict, but to test NATO's unity and the Trump administration's willingness to respond to an attack on a NATO ally, according to the officials.The discovery earlier this week of an explosive-laden drone at an airport in Leipzig, Germany, is assessed by the U.S.
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