Expert: Kremlin Can Unleash New War In Europe By Lukashenka's Hands

To avoid retaliation.

Political analyst of the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation Volodymyr Horbach predicted the likelihood of a hybrid operation of the Russian Federation against one of the NATO member states and an ultimatum to deliver a nuclear strike.

As he stressed in an interview with Glavred, the Kremlin can use proxy forces - for example, Belarus, where Russian nuclear weapons are allegedly already officially deployed.

“Belarus introduces this into its legislation and returns its nuclear status. Therefore, Russia can play with it using Lukashenka and use Belarus under its control in the same way as Iran is using the Houthis, so as not to expose itself to retaliation," the expert said.

At the same time, he pointed out that today Russia is really preparing an information field for hybrid operations in Europe.

"They are already beginning to complain about the deportation of Russian citizens from the Baltic countries, and, for example, about the closure of the border with Finland for the access of Russian citizens to its territory. No one knows how NATO will be ready to respond. I think everything will develop gradually, and perhaps this process will reach a certain culmination, which will generally defuse all this tension that Russia brings to international relations. Perhaps such a nuclear challenge will consolidate the Western world, but this can only be verified in practice," Horbach added.