Latvian intelligence is warning that Russia is preparing possible military provocations against the Baltic states or Poland, including drones, missiles or other hybrid attacks, in an effort to pressure NATO countries to stop supporting Ukraine. 

«We see indications that Russia is preparing military provocations against the Baltic countries or Poland — not a conventional war, because Russia is not capable of that right now, but hybrid attacks, such as missiles, drones or other actions designed to send a signal: stop supporting Ukraine, or you will have your own problems,» Latvian intelligence told Fox News Digital.

The most immediate concern, according to Latvian intelligence, is not that Moscow is ready for a full-scale war with NATO, but that Russian President Vladimir Putin could miscalculate because the surrounding institutions are feeding him the version of reality he wants to hear.

The Baltic states and Poland are NATO allies, meaning a Russian provocation there could quickly test America’s treaty commitments and risk a broader confrontation. It also comes as Washington and its allies weigh how far to go in supporting Ukraine and tightening sanctions on Moscow. 

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Latvian intelligence argues that Putin is not only looking for ways to pressure NATO countries to back off Ukraine, but may also be receiving distorted assessments from inside his own system — raising the risk that Russia could misjudge Western resolve.

«The biggest concern is miscalculation. Russian institutions are telling Putin what he wants to hear, and that creates a dangerous cycle that can lead to foolish and senseless decisions,» Latvian intelligence said.

«We see more and more signs that Putin wants to receive only positive news. He is isolated, and that makes decision-making even more problematic as decisions are not based on the real situation,» Latvian intelligence added.

The Latvian warning tracks with concerns raised by Polish officials during Fox News Digital reporting in June in Poland, where officials described Russia’s hybrid war against NATO’s eastern flank as already underway. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki pointed to assassinations, drone activity, cyberattacks and attacks on critical infrastructure on NATO territory, including what he described as a Russian-instigated cyberattack on Polish energy infrastructure intended «to black out part of Poland.» 

Amb. Krzysztof Olendzki also described the Belarus border as part of a Russian and Belarusian campaign to weaponize illegal migration against NATO countries.

Latvian intelligence also assessed that Western sanctions are having a real impact inside Russia, despite Moscow’s public claims that it has absorbed the pressure.

«Russia says publicly that sanctions do not matter, but its own internal assessments show that sanctions are biting,» Latvian intelligence told Fox News Digital. «They may not change Putin’s mindset, but they limit Russia’s financial resources and thus opportunities and force to make difficult choices regarding recruitment, military spending, and pressure on businesses. Its war economy is a crumbling ‘house of cards.’»

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Latvian intelligence also assessed that Western sanctions are having a real impact inside Russia, despite Moscow’s public claims that it has absorbed the pressure.  (Sasha Mordovets/Getty)

The assessment comes as Latvia’s Constitution Protection Bureau, known as SAB, released a public report detailing how Russia is intensifying «lawfare» against the West — using courts, legal claims and international institutions to pressure Western governments, weaken support for Ukraine and create possible justification for more aggressive actions.

The report outlines Russian efforts to study Iran’s experience challenging Western sanctions through international legal mechanisms. 

Russian experts have analyzed Iran’s 2016 case against the United States at the International Court of Justice and are looking for ways to adapt similar tactics against Western countries, according to the Constitution Protection Bureau. 

«If you want to push Russia toward a peace deal that is acceptable to Ukraine and the West, sanctions are the right mechanism,» Latvian intelligence said. «We need more international pressure on Russia through sanctions.»

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The assessment comes as Latvia’s Constitution Protection Bureau, known as SAB, released a public report detailing how Russia is intensifying «lawfare» against the West.  (Capt. H. Howey/U.S. Army)

The Constitution Protection Bureau also warns that Russia has prepared a complaint against the Baltic States at the U.N.’s International Court of Justice, formally accusing them of discrimination against Russians and Russian speakers. Latvian intelligence believes the legal campaign is not only about the courtroom, but about building a narrative Moscow could later use as a pretext for action.

«Russia believes the Baltic States are governed by pro-American elites who are disconnected from their own people. They made a similar mistake about Ukraine before the invasion, which is why this perception worries us,» Latvian intelligence said.

The Constitution Protection Bureau report argues that Russia is trying to turn propaganda into legal and political action. It describes Moscow’s planned complaint as relying on a «highly manipulative approach» to international law, including selective interpretations of international norms and what the report calls «imagined evidence» of alleged discrimination.

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«Currently, there are no military threats to Latvia,» its intelligence said.  (Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The concern is that Russia could use those claims to justify pressure, intimidation or hybrid operations — the same broad logic Moscow used when it claimed it was acting to protect Donbas residents before invading Ukraine.

«Currently, there are no military threats to Latvia,» its intelligence said. «We are not concerned about a full-scale invasion right now. Russia would need three to five years, even if the war in Ukraine ended today, to rebuild sufficient capabilities. What worries us now are provocations — drones, missiles and other hybrid attacks.»

The Russian government did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

La posibilidad de legalizar el aborto en República Dominicana motivó un pronunciamiento de la Conferencia del Episcopado Dominicano tras una audiencia en el Tribunal Constitucional, destaca una nota publicada en el sitio de Aciprensa.

La discusión se centra en una acción de inconstitucionalidad que busca despenalizarlo en tres causales específicas y en la postura de los obispos contra ese cambio.

El 19 de junio, la Conferencia del Episcopado Dominicano publicó un comunicado en el que expresó su “profunda preocupación” ante los intentos de modificar el marco legal sobre el derecho a la vida.

Los religiosos señalaron que la iniciativa en el Tribunal Constitucional busca “desconocer los derechos fundamentales de la vida y la familia, consagrados en la Constitución de la República Dominicana”.

Quienes impulsan la acción de inconstitucionalidad, como Católicas para el Derecho a Decidir y la Asociación Alianza Cristiana Dominicana, buscan que el aborto deje de ser delito en tres situaciones: cuando la vida de la madre esté en peligro, ante casos de inviabilidad fetal y en situaciones de violación o incesto.

La audiencia pública celebrada el 17 de junio reunió a defensores de la vida y a representantes de las organizaciones que promueven la despenalización. El proceso impugna varios artículos del nuevo Código Penal, que entrará en vigor el 3 de agosto de 2026, en particular los artículos 106, 107, 108, 110 y 111, que establecen sanciones para la mujer que se somete a un aborto y para quienes participen en el procedimiento.

Frente al Tribunal, grupos provida se manifestaron de manera pacífica y reiteraron su postura en defensa del derecho a la vida desde la concepción.

La acción directa de inconstitucionalidad busca modificar el marco penal vigente con el argumento de que las restricciones al aborto vulneran derechos fundamentales. Los obispos sostienen que ese enfoque pone en peligro principios que, según afirman, han sido respaldados por la sociedad y sus representantes legislativos.

Los obispos subrayaron que los intentos por legalizar el aborto en República Dominicana no son nuevos. “Estos ataques se vienen lanzando desde hace décadas”, señaló la Conferencia Episcopal, que recordó que la asamblea constituyente y el Congreso han rechazado de forma sostenida esas propuestas, según la interpretación de los prelados sobre los valores de la sociedad dominicana.

En su comunicado, los obispos felicitaron a los ciudadanos provida que participaron en la protesta del 17 de junio y destacaron: “Se reconoce la dignidad innata de la vida humana desde la concepción, y la importancia de preservar la familia como fundamento de la nación”.

El documento – citado por Aciprensa- también advirtió sobre el carácter “audaz y de alto riesgo” de la acción legal, que considera impulsada por “visiones ideológicas cargadas de relativismo e impulsadas por el transhumanismo”.

La Conferencia Episcopal insistió en que la soberanía nacional y la autodeterminación del pueblo dominicano no deben verse comprometidas por presiones externas o internas que pretendan modificar la protección a la vida y la familia.

La Conferencia Episcopal también reconoció al Ministerio Público y al Congreso por haber rechazado previamente propuestas similares. Para los obispos, la defensa del marco constitucional también implica resguardar la integridad demográfica y territorial del país.

Records show former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was charged in the weekend vandalism of the Reflecting Pool, has ties to a major left-wing fundraising network as protesters descended on the National Mall and racked up multiple criminal charges.

Hearn, 67, donated to Democratic fundraising apparatus ActBlue 10 times while also contributing to Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns five times, an administration official told Fox News Digital.

Hearn was charged with a misdemeanor for destruction of government property Saturday after he reached into the water and allegedly grabbed a hose being used by a National Park Service worker, Fox News previously reported. The Reflecting Pool was drained and painted under President Donald Trump’s direction, sparking scrutiny over peeling paint and algae growth.

ActBlue has funneled billions of dollars to Democratic candidates such as New York democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The group has also drawn scrutiny for its overseas donations that prompted federal probes into donor fraud.

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The three-time summer Olympian and registered Democrat told The Associated Press he is a «curious citizen» and «reached down to see what it felt like.» He said it felt «very rubbery.»

Hearn was previously arrested by U.S. Park Police in 1996 after he ignored an emergency closure of the Potomac River during a severe rainstorm and launched a canoe onto the river despite the restrictions. He was charged with failing to obey a lawful order, but the judge later cleared him of the charges.

The $14.8 million restoration project has sparked outrage from Democratic lawmakers and Washington residents who have descended on the National Mall to inspect the pool. Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell said her constituents are «outraged» by the algae during an appearance on CNN.

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Paint peels from the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. (REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon)

An administration official told Fox News Digital that five people have been arrested on vandalism charges, while federal citations were issued to five additional individuals.

There have been 14 police reports filed for vandalism, the official added.

Among the reports was one involving a suspect accused of using a blade to slash nearly 300 feet of the pool’s liner, an incident President Donald Trump highlighted in a Truth Social post on Saturday.

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National Park Service employees and contractors use vacuums to remove green algae from the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

«They took some form of knife or blade, and put a 250-foot-long gash into the beautiful facade of what took so much work, competence, and money to build and complete. They also poured corrosive and destructive chemicals into the Pool,» wrote Trump. «The Reflecting Pool was never so beautiful as it was just one week ago, even going back to 1922 when it opened.»

Trump said Friday that he believes vandals are damaging the grounds surrounding the Reflecting Pool and that chemicals were used to damage the pool’s newly installed surface, he wrote on Truth Social.

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Fox News Digital reached out to NPS for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Jackson Thompson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.