A senior Russian military defector has warned that the Kremlin is preparing a “greyzone” operation against Poland before Christmas, according to intelligence passed through an Eastern European partner during London’s DSEI arms fair last week, Irish Star reported. UK and US officials are now holding urgent discussions over fears of a covert strike designed to fracture NATO unity.
The warning suggests Moscow aims to launch a non-nuclear assault on Polish territory – calculated to provoke and test the alliance’s resolve without crossing into all-out war. Intelligence insiders say the information came from a Russian one-star officer, believed to be an army Major General, who recently fled the country.
Recent Russian Provocations Against NATO
The defector’s claims follow a series of Russian actions challenging NATO borders. Just last week, three MiG-31 fighter jets armed with hypersonic missiles breached Estonian airspace, circling the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes before being intercepted.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal described the incident as “unprecedentedly brazen,” while former U.S. President Donald Trump warned it could spark “big trouble.”
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the violation, stating, “The UK stands with our Estonian allies, following yet another reckless incursion into NATO airspace by Russia. We must continue to increase pressure on Putin, including driving forward the new sanctions announced by the UK and the EU.”
Russian Drones Over Poland and Romania
The Baltic provocation was not isolated. British officials confirmed that Russia launched 19 drones into Polish airspace in what they called the most serious breach of NATO territory to date. Romania reported a similar intrusion when a Russian drone penetrated 10 kilometers inside its border and remained there for nearly 50 minutes.
UK defense sources indicate any NATO reaction to a Polish strike would likely remain conventional, in line with Cold War–era deterrence practices such as the Ministry of Defence’s Wintex drills.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
