PUTIN is poised to blast the Baltics with missiles as part of a chilling plan to “break Nato” after his sham re-election, a former Ukrainian MP has warned.
Aliona Hlivco believes the power-mad tyrant is set to ramp up his invasion and could even blitz territories outside Ukraine.
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Ageing dictator Putin, 71, is set to cement his grip on power in Russia until at least 2030 as millions take to the polls this weekend.
But with any opposition figure who could have challenged him either in prison, in exile or dead, there is little hope the election will be free or fair.
It means the tyrant – the longest-serving Kremlin leader since Josef Stalin – is destined for a fifth term at the country’s helm.
Experts fear it could embolden the glory-mad Russian leader to polish off his legacy with an invasion of Europe.
And bombshell German intelligence documents reveal that he could launch a large-scale attack on the West as soon as 2026.
German spooks, who recently observed a “significant intensification of Russian arms”, fear Putin’s army is gearing up for something big.
Signs of reorganisation in Russia’s army, troop movements, and missile deployments in the west of the country could all signal Russia doubling its military power in the next few years.
Ms Hlivco, now managing director of the think tank Henry Jackson Society, warned that Putin has “mastered the hybrid tactics that have proven to be quite disruptive for the West and at minimum cost to the Kremlin”.
The ex-Ukrainian politician believes Putin’s next step could be to attack the Baltics.
She told The Sun: “In terms of Baltic states, in my opinion the threat is real.
“Not just in terms of hybrid attack by weaponisation of migrants or a cyber attack to demobilise critical infrastructure but also a kinetic attack with missiles etc.
“We have already seen debris of Russian missiles falling onto Nato territory (Poland and Romania) with no strong response.
“So I think Russia will seek to capitalise on that and try out Nato’s resolve in the North.
“The Baltic states have already been fortifying their borders with Russia where possible and mobilising their population to be ready to defend their country if the need comes up.”
Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon believes Latvia or Lithuania – both Baltic nations – could be in Putin’s firing line first.
He warned the “deranged megalomaniac” will “throw everything into the Ukraine meat grinder” as he desperately tries to make ground more than two years into his invasion.
The former army commander said it is likely Putin will then go to war with the West if he sees success in Ukraine.
He told The Sun: “I think he is doing all he can at the moment [in Ukraine].
“He is throwing everything into the ‘meat grinder’ hoping to outlast Western support, which is likely to wain at the end of this year.
“If Putin succeeds in Ukraine he will go to war with the West.
“He will attack Latvia and Lithuania first – and they are both Nato.”
Putin attacking a Nato country would trigger Article 5 – meaning other nations in the alliance would come to their ally’s aid and take necessary action.
It could see troops from the UK and the US sent to defend against Russia – which could lead to an all-out war with the West.
Former US General Ben Hodges warned Donald Trump returning to the White House could worsen the situation.
He told The Sun: “Putin’s plans are to destroy Ukraine and break Nato by testing to see if the US and other members of the alliance will actually respond to a limited attack on a Nato country.
“If he sees that we are unwilling or unable to help Ukraine win, then he’ll be emboldened.
“In the unfortunate case of a return of Trump to the White House, and if Trump does what he’s threatened to do for years – to turn his back on Nato allies – then Putin will see an opportunity to attack Nato.
“It’s not inevitable, but surely Putin will be seeking to rebuild his military for such a campaign over the next few years.
“That’s why readiness and preparations by all Nato countries and cohesion within the alliance are essential to preventing such a terrible miscalculation by Putin.”
NUKE FEARS
In a speech just two weeks ago, Putin warned the West is in danger of being nuked as he ranted for more than two hours at Russian elites.
But Mr de Bretton-Gordon insisted that while power-hungry Putin could unleash attacks on the West, it is unlikely he will use nuclear force.
He added: “Putin knows it puts the wind up many Western leaders when he talks nuclear – but it is a bluff.
“Even if his tactical nukes work he knows the US and UK would destroy them with conventional means before he could fire them.
“It would also be an excuse for the West to use overwhelming convention means to destroy Russian forces in Ukraine.
“Nato collectively is far more powerful militarily than Russia.
“Putin might be a deranged megalomaniac but he is not completely stupid.”
He also believes Putin cares more about Russia and his legacy than wielding his nukes.
He said: “Putin will never go for Armageddon as that would be the end of his dream for a greater Russia.
“He is massive on his legacy, hence he doesn’t want to destroy the planet.
“But he is a master strategist when it comes to manipulating the West’s weaker leaders.
“He is bluffing on nukes and the sooner we realise this, the better.”
Mr Hodges added: “Of course, we must take it [the threat of nukes] seriously since Russia has thousands of nuclear weapons and clearly doesn’t care how many innocent people they kill, including their own.
“But the likelihood of them using a nuke is close to zero.
“They know there are no positive outcomes for them if they use a nuke and instead that their nukes are most effective when they don’t actually use them.”
It comes as polling stations open for three days instead of one for the first time and online voting is an option in 27 Russian regions and Crimea, which was illegally seized by Putin a decade ago.
Brazen Putin has also opened up voting in annexed Ukrainian regions Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – despite Russian forces not fully controlling them.
The tyrant orchestrated constitutional reforms to allow him to run for two more terms.
Previously, the Russian government limited Presidents to no more than two consecutive six-year terms.
But in 2020 Putin pushed through an amendment exempting himself from presidential term limits until 2036 – by which time he’ll be 83.
Ms Hlivco said: “When it comes to Putin, he has effectively secured his stay in power for life.
“Given his age, I doubt he will live to see the third term but will certainly try to pass on power to someone who will guarantee safety to his family, if not directly to one of his daughters themselves.
“There are rumours within Russian opposition forces that he might be preparing his oldest one to step in.”
Mr Hodges believes when Putin is inevitably re-elected, he will have three main goals.
He said: “One – continue to consolidate his power. Two – continue his campaign to destroy Ukraine. Three – rebuild his military for continued operations against nations on his periphery, including potential Nato countries.
“This is why it is essential that we help Ukraine defeat Russia, otherwise Russia will never change and Putin will eventually be replaced by another Putin-like autocrat.
“We have a generational opportunity to fix/ improve European security for decades, if we don’t waste it.”
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