Baltic: Putin setting narrative for attack on Baltic States: report

Russian President Vladimir Putin has increased efforts to create the information conditions for a future escalation against the Baltic States, according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), LRT reports. Putin asserted that Latvia’s moves to expel Russian citizens “directly affected Russia’s security.” Earlier, Latvia’s Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) announced that around 1,200 Russian citizens who failed to renew their residence permits would have to leave the country. ISW noted that Russia has long claimed that it has the right to “protect” Russians abroad. At the same time, the institute added that it had not observed any indication that a Russian attack against the Baltic States was imminent or likely.