Putin preparing to attack Europe? ‘Just don’t do it’, CIA chief’s warning revealed amid fears of Russian drone attacks and NATO conflict

Is Russian President Vladimir Putin preparing to take the war beyond Ukraine? That question is gaining fresh attention as Russian drone activity fuels fears of a wider conflict in Europe. As the fear of a fresh war looms, a reported warning from CIA Director John Ratcliffe has added to the uncertainty. The stark message was reportedly: “Just don’t do it.”

The warning comes amid claims that CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a surprise trip to Moscow as concerns grew over possible Russian escalation against Ukraine or its Western allies. The Kremlin has said Ratcliffe did not meet Putin. The advice was based on US intelligence that Russia is primed to act after its campaign on the battlefield in Ukraine stalled again, reports The Daily Mail.

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Following the visit, the Kremlin hinted it was not looking for peace with the West, warning ‘it is too early to say if the deep crisis in US-Russia relations can be overcome’, before boasting ‘Ukraine is definitely losing the war’.

Fears of a Russian move against NATO

European security officials have increasingly warned that Russia could test NATO’s response through a limited military operation, rather than immediately launching a full-scale war. Possible scenarios discussed by officials and analysts include drone incursions, sabotage, hybrid attacks and military probes involving the Baltic states or Poland.

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A recent analysis cited concerns that Russia could see an opportunity to challenge NATO if it believes the alliance is politically divided or the U.S. commitment to European security is weakening. The Baltic region has become a particular focus because Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are all NATO members and sit close to Russia and its Kaliningrad exclave.

Why the Baltic Sea is raising concern

One of the scenarios being discussed is a possible Russian attempt to seize or otherwise target an island in the Baltic Sea. Such an action would not necessarily mean an immediate attempt to occupy a major European country. Instead, analysts have warned that Moscow could potentially use a limited operation to test whether NATO would respond collectively.

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A Russian move against a NATO member would carry enormous risks because of the alliance's collective-defense commitments.

European officials have also expressed concern about Russian surveillance, drone activity and other operations around the Baltic region. Analysts have described such activity as part of a broader campaign intended to create uncertainty and test Western defenses.

Why has the visit raised alarms

The reported visit comes at a time when tensions between Moscow and the UK have also increased as Britain expands its military support for Ukraine. Against this backdrop, the reported US warning coincided with an unusual development involving Kyiv.

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The Kyiv Independent, citing a source familiar with the situation, reported that Washington had asked Ukraine to avoid strikes on Moscow and St. Petersburg while CIA Director John Ratcliffe was in Russia. According to the source, Kyiv agreed to pause attacks on the two cities from August 24 to 26. The source also claimed US officials were concerned that Russian air defenses around Moscow and St. Petersburg might not be strong enough to guarantee protection.

A U.S. official separately told The Kyiv Independent that Ratcliffe was expected to meet senior Russian officials, although the details of the discussions were not clear. The Kremlin has not officially commented on the reported visit.

The visit came into focus after Flightradar24 data showed a U.S. Air Force C-17 military transport aircraft traveling from Riga, Latvia, to Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport on Tuesday. The aircraft, operating under the call sign RCH4555, departed Riga at about 8:50 a.m. and landed in Moscow shortly after 10 a.m.

The C-17 had arrived in Riga on August 23 from Camp Springs, Maryland, where Joint Base Andrews is located. The military facility is closely associated with U.S. presidential air transport.

The reported Ratcliffe trip comes as contacts between Washington and Moscow have intensified since Donald Trump returned to the White House and pledged to pursue negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

However, repeated Moscow visits by Trump’s peace envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have so far failed to resolve major disagreements between Russia and Ukraine, particularly over territory. Their planned first visit to Ukraine this week was also postponed.