Ukrainian Expert: Lukashenka May Use Rivne Nuclear Power Plant As Shield

It is located in the possible direction of the Belarusian troops' attack.

Co-director of foreign policy and security programs of the Ukrainian Razumkov Center Oleksiy Melnyk spoke on the air of the "FreeDOM" marathon on the UA TV channel about what Ukrainians should expect from Lukashenka:

- Belarus is one of the few countries that support Russian aggression against Ukraine on the political level. Moreover, it is the only country in the world that is providing practical support. Nazi Germany, at the time, had a dozen reliable allies. This says a lot about the current sentiment in the world. Lukashenka faces a dilemma. He wants to preserve his regime, which faltered after the illegitimate elections. There is a method used by totalitarian or authoritarian leaders like Lukashenka. It is diverting attention from internal problems to external threats - getting involved in a foreign war. Thus, Lukashenka may try to prolong the agony of his regime.

On the other hand, such a move may accelerate the processes of internal political destabilization and protests inside Belarus, given the predominantly anti-war sentiments in the Belarusian society. In any case, the entry of Belarusian troops is a serious blow to Ukraine. A critically important facility, the Rivne nuclear power plant, is located precisely in the Belarusian direction. It is possible that in case of an attack from Belarus this plant may be used as a shield, it is happening in Energodar and it was near Chernobyl. This is a serious threat even though the military potential of Belarus is estimated as rather poor compared to that of Russia.

- What does Lukashenka hope for, given his complicity in war crimes? After all, the planes that bombard Ukrainian territory are coming up from Belarus.

- It is hard to explain it with regard to the common sense. Now the situation has changed, no one believes Lukashenka. Statements about the agreement of Belarus to deploy Russian nuclear weapons on its territory violate a number of international treaties on the control of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Russia can do this - the modernisation of Belarusian aircraft will be announced. The fact that Belarus has nuclear weapons will trigger destabilisation and further escalation of Russia's war against Ukraine.