Russiais massing troops alongNATO’sborders preparing for a future potential confrontation with the Western alliance, sparking further fears ofWorld War 3breaking out.

In its annual threat assessment, Lithuania’s security services said Moscow is expanding military units along NATO’s eastern frontier while giving them combat experience inUkraine, creating the backbone of a future fighting force.Vladimir Putinis already expanding brigades into divisions, forming new units and developing military infrastructure along NATO’s borders, including in the heavily militarised Kaliningrad region wedged between Western states Poland and Lithuania, says the report. This came as Russian sources this week highlighted a British "spy plane" monitoring the flashpoint Kaliningrad region twice in one day.

READ MORE:WW3 fears explode as Russia accused of helping Iran carry out attacks on US base

READ MORE:Russia's horror WW3 map shows the 15 cities that would be blitzed first

Operativnaya Liniya, a pro-Russian military commentary Telegram channel, reported: “For the first time in the history of British military aeronautics, two consecutive flights of the same RC-135W were carried out between 7:30 am and midnight, with a break of a couple of hours for refuelling at Waddington Air Base [in Lincolnshire].”

Russiacould be ready for a "wide-scale military conflict" with NATO if wartime sanctions are lifted, said the Lithuanian assessment.

"Russia would likely create not only a 30–50 per cent larger army than it had before the war but also a relatively modern one,” the report said.

"Strategic reserves of weapons and ammunition would be fully restored. Russia would be ready for a conventional military conflict with NATO.

Many of the newly formed units are still being built up and lack personnel and equipment, the report notes, with troops and weapons instead being sent directly to fight in Ukraine.

But the Kremlin’s long-term goals remain unchanged, the assessment said — tilting the balance of power in Europe in Moscow’s favour and subjugating Ukraine. War could come inside six years.

Source: Daily Express :: World Feed