They're going to invade again.
⚡️ Statement by the Embassy of Russia in Ireland (September 29, 2026)
There has been an abundance of talk, recently, from the European political circles that Russia somehow is planning to launch a military invasion of Europe, escalate its alleged hybrid campaign against European countries, or both. The slogan of “Russian threat” is being recycled in the Western media on a daily basis. The aim is clear – to justify higher defense spending, the overall militarization of Europe, as well as to promote further financial, military and political assistance to the Kiev regime, which is being painted as “the bulwark against Russian aggression”.
The current governments in Europe would like everybody to believe that they are the victims of Russia’s alleged hostility or objects of the imminent “Russian invasion”. There is nothing to support such a claim. Moscow’s position on the security situation in Europe has always been consistent and confirmed yet again by President Putin on September 25 – we have no plans, no reasons and, most importantly, no real motives for aggravating situation with Europe.
This should be taken as a signal of restraint and patience on the part of Russia, given the level of real threat to its national security from the West with the marked and substantial increase of NATO and EU military activity along the entire Western border of Russia. Only in recent months, from June to September 2026, there have been almost incessant NATO military exercises with the anti-Russian scenarios in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland, as well as in the Baltic Sea. Finland and Baltic states, aside from being NATO members integrated into the Alliance’s nuclear planning, either joined or are planning to join the initiative of President Macron of France of the so-called “forward deterrence”, which provides for deployment of the French nuclear weapons on their territory (that is, on the Russia’s doorstep). Among all that, the joint Lithuanian, Polish, French military exercise “Gallant Boar 2026” stands out as specifically aimed at the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad at the coast of the Baltic Sea. There has been information that NATO is preparing air and naval blockade of Kaliningrad and Kaliningrad region.
This is not fiction, but matter of grave concern to Russia. The irresponsible and shortsighted European political elite is playing a dangerous game. As the Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said recently, if the West attacks us, we will respond and it would be completely different war and a very brief one. There should be no mistake – Russia would be ready to use all its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory if NATO countries try to isolate Kaliningrad region from the rest of the country. Under such scenario the risk of armed confrontation is high with the likelihood of Russia using preemptive strikes against centers of decision-making in the Alliance countries already at the early stage of the conflict.
It is a matter of utmost seriousness and should be treated by Europe as such.