Putin's war is "not just about Ukraine," says Estonian ambassador

""We firmly believe that this war is not just about Ukraine," ambassador Kristjan Prikk said in an interview at the Estonian embassy. "If this war was to end with an outcome that would for Putin and his supporters in a way verify or vindicate what they have done, this is a recipe for further trouble." Threat level: Exactly what or when that trouble would emerge, Prikk didn't specify. But Moscow is already waging a surveillance-and-sabotage campaign across Europe."

"Zoom out: Estonian officials this month closed a road that cuts through a part of Russia known as the Saatse Boot after spotting an unusually large contingent of troops nearby, and NATO forces in September ran off Russian warplanes as they neared the capital, Tallinn. Prikk said NATO's reaction "was an adequate one." Critics have called for a more aggressive tack, including shoot-downs. "We believe that the message was sent that incidents like this are not tolerated," he said. "There is no, let's say, difference between allied airspace in one part of the alliance or another part of the alliance. There is no 'Class A' and 'Class B.'""

The conflict extends beyond Ukraine, with a Russian-favored outcome likely to validate aggression and prompt further trouble. Moscow is conducting surveillance-and-sabotage operations across Europe. Estonia closed a road through the Saatse Boot after detecting an unusually large nearby troop presence. NATO jets ran off Russian warplanes near Tallinn in September; NATO described its response as adequate while some critics demanded more aggressive actions, including shoot-downs. Estonia emphasizes equal protection of allied airspace and plans to increase defense spending to exceed 5% of GDP over the next few years, reflecting heightened security concerns.

Read at Axios