'Estonian military intelligence chief Lieutenant-Colonel Kaupo Rosin told the meeting that an aggressive new military doctrine signed by Putin in December showed Moscow was "playing hockey while very many Western European countries are doing figure-skating". '<blockquote>'(Reuters) - Russia is working to develop within a few years the capability to threaten several neighbors at once on the scale of its present operation in Ukraine, a senior American general said.
Lieutenant-General Ben Hodges, commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe, told Reuters an attack on another neighbor does not seem like an immediate threat because Moscow appears to have its hands full in Ukraine for now.
But that could change within a few years, when upgrades sought by President Vladimir Putin would give Russia the ability to carry out up to three such operations at the same time, without a mobilization that would give the West time to respond.
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NATO experts say the Ukraine conflict, in which Russian forces swiftly annexed the Crimea region and pro-Russian rebels scored rapid gains in the east, shows Putin's increased spending has already yielded results. Russian forces, particularly small elite units, have proven far more effective than in a 2008 war in Georgia, they say.
Moscow has also developed what they describe as "hybrid war" capabilities, in which it organizes, funds and arms local insurgents while deploying its own elite troops in unmarked uniforms - known in Crimea as the "little green men" - so swiftly and covertly that it is difficult to develop a response.
Hodges said neighbors like the Baltic states and Georgia appear to be safe for now, but possibly not for long.
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Estonian military intelligence chief Lieutenant-Colonel Kaupo Rosin told the meeting that an aggressive new military doctrine signed by Putin in December showed Moscow was "playing hockey while very many Western European countries are doing figure-skating". '
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Russia could soon run multiple Ukraine-sized operations: U.S. general, January 16, 2015</blockquote>
Context '..Ukraine and the West must understand what Putin is doing and call it by its rightful names: invasion, Anschluss, provocation, intimidation, and panic-sowing..'<blockquote>
'..[Andrei Piontkovsky] says Putin will not stop at Ukraine..''[Russia has] become a threat to the world..''..appeasement emboldened the Nazi dictator to invade Austria..' - Appeal by Polish intellectuals'..be prepared for the long haul..' - Angela Merkel'..a prolonged conflict [with] Russia..'US & EU versus Russia - '..hybrid warfare..' - '..to exit “the unified energy system of Russia” by 2020.''Russia has chosen the role of pariah..' - Philip Hammond'Putin has been deceiving the world since the very beginning of the Ukraine crisis..' - Der Spiegel'..Putin’s peace plan .. a Russian occupation plan.' - Samantha Power'Putin should be investigated for war crimes and crimes against humanity.' - David L. Phillips'..Putin is not our ally or partner, but rather our foe, and make this position clear to him and to the rest of the world.''..the contempt that Vladimir Putin holds the leaderships of Europe and America .. his invasion of Ukraine.''..Vladimir Putin has “never admitted a single error” and “never made a single step backward”..''..Russia shows little interest in finding a solution, presenting an image that the conflicts remain unresolved to serve Russian interests.' - Breedlove'..Putin's "incredible act of aggression" .. "will isolate Russia politically, diplomatically and economically." '(War, Ukraine - Russia) - '..Russian .. military occupation..' - Carl Bildt'..Political Warfare .. Increased espionage and subversion against NATO and the EU, directed by Russian special services..''..Russia [must pull] back from Ukraine..''Ukraine has no future without Europe..' - 'The End of Russia..'</blockquote>