Putin’s “mini-natives” raises fears of a future armed conflict

Russia tightens its links with several post -Soviet states, and sets up a mutual defense system similar to that of NATO.Image: Imago, montage watson

The order comes from Moscow: the armies of the former Soviet republics can now fly more quickly to the aid of Russia. A new command structure should also come into force.

Thomas Wanhoff / t-online

Russia has expanded the possibilities of a military alliance of former Soviet republics. The Russian Parliament has strengthened the assistance obligations of the Organization of the Collective Security Treaty (OTSC).

This treaty, concluded in 1992 between former Soviet countries, authorizes the sending of mutual troops for its members, for example in the event of armed conflict. And this must now be able to be realized in one day, against 30 before, according to the American Institute of War Studies (ISW).

A “training commando” should in the future lead the armed forces sent to a Member State. According to the ISW, it should be dominated by the Kremlin. The OTSC collective security council had already approved this protocol in November 2024, Russia has just ratified it.

The convention was signed in 1992, then it turned into an international organization in 2002. It is intended to be the counterpart, although much smaller, of NATO in postsoviet space. It brings together Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tadjikistan. Armenia, however, announced in 2024 that it wanted to withdraw from the treaty.

A way to extend the influence of Russia

The ISW has long since estimated that the Kremlin has been trying to subordinate the forces of the former Soviet countries to its own in order to create a multinational army combined in the region.

Illustration of a military parade in Moscow. Russia can now receive reinforcement in 24 hours.Image: keystone

So far, Putin has played the OTSC card to exercise its military influence, for example in Armenia. Although the local government asked soldiers, Putin only sent observers.

Prepare for a direct confrontation

Vladimir Putin can mobilize OTSC member states in the event of armed conflict with NATO. Despite the war in Ukraine, experts have continued in recent months to warn against the Russian threat.

Atlantic attacks on the North Atlantic countries could occur in a few years. It is mainly the Baltic countries, but also Finland that fear this. It has only reached NATO only recently, due to increasing tensions with Russia.

According to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Moscow does not have the sufficient means to attack the alliance “as a whole”. The increase in military spending that NATO has just decided, however, aims to dissuade Russia from attacking the organization, if only partially, said Merz at the Haye.

The secretary general, Mark Rutte had warned against the rearmament of Russia before the start of the game. The speed of military reorganization of the big country is “really amazing and frightening,” said Rutte during a question and answer session in The Hague. Not preparing to face it is risking losing your defense capacity within three to five years.

(Translated and adapted by Valentine Zenker)

No less than 550 Russian devices were launched this night against Ukrainian territory, including 539 drones and ballistic missiles. kyiv has notably been targeted.

Ukraine was the target on the night of Thursday to Friday of the most massive Russian drones attack on the war. This offensive intervened in the aftermath of an unlike telephone conversation between presidents Putin and Trump.