Kremlin creates information conditions to justify possible future escalation against NATO ISW report

The Kremlin continues to create information conditions to justify a possible Russian escalation against NATO countries in the future, according to the latest assessment of the Russian military campaign by the US-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov stated on March 31 that Russia will continue to assert its right, contrary to international law, to enforce Russian federal law on officials of NATO and post-Soviet states for their actions taken within the territory of their own countries where Russian courts have no jurisdiction, despite acknowledging that prosecuting such cases would be “unrealistic.”

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has placed multiple officials from NATO member countries on its wanted list for them allegedly breaking various Russian laws within their own counties.

ISW continues to assess that the Kremlin’s attempt to enforce its federal laws over NATO officials for actions in their own countries effectively denies the sovereignty of these states and is part of Russian efforts to set informational conditions justifying possible Russian escalations against NATO states in the future.

In February, Russian media reported that Russia had put dozens of government officials from NATO member states and the European Union on the wanted list for allegedly desecrating and destroying monuments to Soviet soldiers.