(WARSAW, POLAND) – Belarus has ordered a surprise combat readiness review of one of its military brigades, a move that came shortly after CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s unannounced visit to Moscow. The timing has raised concerns among NATO allies about potential Russian provocations in the region.
The Belarusian order, issued by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s closest ally Alexander Lukashenko, follows Ratcliffe’s meeting with Russian intelligence counterparts on Tuesday. The CIA chief travelled to Moscow aboard a US Air Force C-17 cargo plane, landing after a stop in Riga, Latvia.
US President Donald Trump has dismissed the visit, claiming it was a “semi-routine visit” focused on ending the war in Ukraine. However, defence analysts have rejected this characterisation. Mark Toth, co-founder of Intrep 360, told TVP World that “CIA directors do not travel to Moscow to negotiate. They travel to Moscow when they have an urgent message to show the Russians.”
The last comparable visit occurred in November 2021, when then CIA Director William Burns travelled to Moscow to warn the Kremlin against invading Ukraine. That warning was ignored.
NATO military officials have repeatedly cautioned that Russia is preparing to test the alliance’s unity and resolve. The intensity of hybrid attacks against NATO member states has increased significantly in recent months.
Last week, NATO conducted large-scale unannounced military exercises near the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, situated between Lithuania and Poland. The drills, led by US forces, involved more than 50 aircraft including reconnaissance and electronic warfare planes. Analysts suggest the exercises were intended to send a clear message to Moscow.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has resumed long-range strike operations following Ratcliffe’s departure from Moscow. Ukrainian forces confirmed strikes on a warehouse in the Tambov region and a Lukoil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod. The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed both strikes.
Ukraine is also seeking assistance from US billionaire Elon Musk to allow Starlink satellite terminals to operate over Russian territory, which would enhance the navigation capabilities of Ukrainian drones targeting Russian launch sites. This follows President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to award Musk the Order of Liberty, Ukraine’s highest state honour.
In a separate development, Sweden and Poland are pressing the European Union to reopen the debate on using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine. More than 200 billion euros (approximately £170 billion) remain frozen across European banks, with the majority held at the Belgium-based depository Euroclear. Kyiv faces a 23 billion euro (approximately £19.5 billion) funding shortfall.
The analysis was presented by TVP World, Poland’s English-language news channel.
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