Wagner troops could 'cut off' Baltic states from NATO, warns expert

An expert has told Euronews that Russia's Wagner mercenary group could stage an attack to sever the Baltic states from NATO, though he questioned if such a "suicidal" step would be taken. 

Dr Stephen Hall, lecturer of Russian politics at the University of Bath, suggested the assault may involve a small incursion, akin to a provocative false flag operation, to disguise direct Russian involvement.  

But he was sceptical this was feasible, owing to the immense geopolitical risks and Wagner's military strength. 

"Russia's primary objective has always been to show NATO is just a paper tiger," Hall told Euronews. "By cutting off the Baltics they could highlight the alliance won't come to the aid of its members". 

"This would be a major cataclysm for NATO," he continued, adding if the US-led military alliance did not come to the Baltics' aid in the event of an attack - as it is obligated to do - NATO would be "completely destroyed". 

On Saturday, Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki claimed some Wagner mercenaries had started moving to the Suwalki Gap, a sparsely populated land corridor sandwiched between NATO members Lithuania and Poland to the north and south, and Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad enclave to the east and west. 

He called the move "undoubtedly a step in the direction of a further hybrid attack on Polish territory", alleging mercenaries will "probably dress up as Belarusian border guards and help irregular migrants enter Polish territory" and destabilise the situation.

The Suwalki Gap is immensely strategic since if Russia and Belarus were able to capture the 65km stretch the Baltics - comprising Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - would be isolated, jeopardising NATO's ability to defend the area. 

Hall suggested this