# Russia ramps up rhetoric but wants to avoid war with Nato, Western officials say

https://mins.news/en/item/36080

- BBC News, 2026-08-28 19:05 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz0zm2j7ld1o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

> Western officials believe Vladimir Putin wants to avoid direct military confrontation with Nato despite increasingly hostile threats against the UK and other Ukraine supporters. They expect Moscow to continue hybrid activity, including cyber-attacks, sabotage and possible assassination attempts, while warning that miscalculation could trigger a wider clash.

## Stories

- [Russia Ukraine War and European Support](https://mins.news/en/topic/russia-ukraine-war-european-support) — Markdown: https://mins.news/en/topic/russia-ukraine-war-european-support.md

## Related coverage

- [Western officials fear Putin is preparing to escalate beyond Ukraine](https://mins.news/en/item/38272) — Meduza, 2026-08-31
- [Western officials: Russia is escalating rhetoric but still seeks to avoid war with NATO](https://mins.news/en/item/37975) — BBC Chinese, 2026-08-31
- [Expert warns Putin could turn to nuclear option amid rising NATO tensions](https://mins.news/en/video/37979) — Fox News, 2026-08-31