I strongly suspect this is one of the reasons behind posturing such as in OP image - it is a goading tactic. Same as it was in Ukraine. It is an attempt to goad Russia into storming the damn place and thus open a new front
If so then it is another massive miscalculation. The Baltics are undefendable for NATO. This would strengthen Russia’s position not weaken it, as NATO would be immediately forced to divert the resources that Ukraine desperately needs to the Baltic region. The only second front that would really weaken Russia would be one further east. For instance if NATO managed to engineer another Chechnya like situation in the Caucasus or somehow succeed in a color revolution in Kazakhstan and turn it into a second Ukraine. But the chance of either of those happening is virtually zero, Russia secured those flanks a while ago.
There’s been plenty of activity in and around Kazakhstan, though. In fact there was an attempt at a colour revolution just before the SMO. Kazakhstan government even enacted the defense treaty, and Russian VDV (paratroopers) were sent in to support the local forces. Likewise, during the summer of 2022 when SCO summit was happening, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan suddenly decided to start a fight. Likewise in Karabakh.
Yes they have been trying to start shit, but it is clear that Russia has things in those regions pretty much under control. And don’t forget that China also has a vital interest in keeping Central Asia stable for the sake of the Belt and Road Initiative. A US puppet regime in Kazakhstan or any kind of large scale conflict there would be just as if not even more damaging to China. The US is fighting an uphill battle there in the backyard of both of its arch-enemies. They will not succeed and the abortive way their last attempt ended shows that they are losing their ability to successfully pull off these kinds of ops. And as the US empire gets weaker and Russia/China stronger on the world stage the difficulties will only compound.
I strongly suspect this is one of the reasons behind posturing such as in OP image - it is a goading tactic. Same as it was in Ukraine. It is an attempt to goad Russia into storming the damn place and thus open a new front
If so then it is another massive miscalculation. The Baltics are undefendable for NATO. This would strengthen Russia’s position not weaken it, as NATO would be immediately forced to divert the resources that Ukraine desperately needs to the Baltic region. The only second front that would really weaken Russia would be one further east. For instance if NATO managed to engineer another Chechnya like situation in the Caucasus or somehow succeed in a color revolution in Kazakhstan and turn it into a second Ukraine. But the chance of either of those happening is virtually zero, Russia secured those flanks a while ago.
There’s been plenty of activity in and around Kazakhstan, though. In fact there was an attempt at a colour revolution just before the SMO. Kazakhstan government even enacted the defense treaty, and Russian VDV (paratroopers) were sent in to support the local forces. Likewise, during the summer of 2022 when SCO summit was happening, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan suddenly decided to start a fight. Likewise in Karabakh.
Yes they have been trying to start shit, but it is clear that Russia has things in those regions pretty much under control. And don’t forget that China also has a vital interest in keeping Central Asia stable for the sake of the Belt and Road Initiative. A US puppet regime in Kazakhstan or any kind of large scale conflict there would be just as if not even more damaging to China. The US is fighting an uphill battle there in the backyard of both of its arch-enemies. They will not succeed and the abortive way their last attempt ended shows that they are losing their ability to successfully pull off these kinds of ops. And as the US empire gets weaker and Russia/China stronger on the world stage the difficulties will only compound.