'Confident' Russia 'preparing to attack NATO' and spies say they know when

'Confident' Russia 'preparing to attack NATO' and spies say they know whenRussia could be ready to attack NATO within a year of the war in Ukraine ending, Dutch military intelligence agency MIVD has warned in a shock annual reportNewsCatherine MacKinlay and Eliana Nunes News Reporter17:52, 22 Apr 2026Updated 17:54, 22 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesVladimir Putin could start a conflict with NATO within a year after the war in Ukraine ends, according to the Dutch intelligence agency (file)(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Russia could be ready to launch a conflict with NATO within a year of the war in Ukraine ending, according to a European spy agency.‌The Netherlands Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) warned that Moscow may be able to rebuild enough combat power within 12 months of hostilities ending in Ukraine - with the aim of sowing division inside the alliance.‌Vice Admiral Peter Reesink, the spy agency's director, said: "Russia poses the greatest and most direct threat to peace and stability in Europe, and thus to our national security and our interests."‌However, the MIVD stressed that a full-scale conventional war between Russia and NATO is "virtually out of the question" while Moscow remains heavily engaged in Ukraine.View 3 ImagesResidents look at a house that has been struck by Russian drones in the town of Shostka, in the northern part of the Sumy region, on April 19(Image: Francisco Richart/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)Instead, the report suggests Russia’s broader strategy is to reshape Europe's security order and push towards a more multipolar world where it stands as a leading global power.‌Rather than attempting to defeat NATO outright, the agency warned Moscow could focus on limited territorial gains and pressure tactics designed to expose divisions between member states. The intelligence agency suggested this could even include the threat of using nuclear weapons.The MIVD warned that deteriorati...