Baltic Worry of Russia: ‘It’s Not Simply Theoretical Anymore’

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW — In any dialogue of the potential menace Russia poses past Ukraine, the three Baltic states are on the prime of the listing. With the potential exception of Poland, no different nations have been as menaced by Moscow over the previous century. For 5 a long time Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have been underneath the highly effective boot of Soviet communism, they usually have been among the many first Soviet republics to stand up in opposition to Moscow within the waning years of the usS.R. They’re additionally Russia’s neighbors, and whereas Lithuania was as soon as a serious European energy (see the fifteenth century Grand Duchy of Lithuania), at this time the three international locations mixed are dwarfed in dimension and inhabitants by Ukraine. 

All of which helps clarify why the Baltic nations see themselves as fragile frontline states within the wrestle in opposition to Russian aggression – actual and potential. They’ve been among the many strongest supporters of the Ukrainian resistance, and in a small however telling signal this week, Lithuania’s protection minister mentioned the Baltic international locations ought to shoot down any Russian drones that drift into their airspace. That adopted the current information {that a} Russian drone had crashed in Latvian territory.