How Russia might open a new front in Europe: Malomuzh responds

Russia’s war against Ukraine was not the first instance of Russian aggression under Vladimir Putin’s rule. Some signs suggest that the Kremlin might attempt to open a new front.

General of the Army and former head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Mykola Malomuzh, commented on this information for 24 Kanal.

According to the German outlet Bild, there are concerns that Russia might attack Lithuania as early as this fall. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also warned of potential Russian attacks on other NATO countries.

Malomuzh explains that Russia is considering various options for aggression, including strikes on former Soviet states that are partners of Ukraine.

"But these are all distant plans. Today, during active combat operations on our territory, where we are not only holding the enemy back but also destroying them, Russia lacks the resources to launch an offensive against the Baltic states," Malomuzh noted.

One of the factors deterring Russia is the strengthening and rearmament of European countries.

"Potentially, we need to prepare. It’s good that Bild is writing about potential threats, but their realization, as was the case with Ukraine, is still far off. In Ukraine, Putin miscalculated, so now he will simply be cautious, because starting a war with the West would mean significant losses for him and an acceleration of his downfall," the general explained.

At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized that Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine began after large-scale military exercises in Belarus. In 2025, major maneuvers are once again taking place on Belarusian territory, raising concerns among European countries.

Global intelligence agencies had indicated possible timelines and directions of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine even before it began. The general is convinced that if the international community had taken decisive measures in time and issued an ultimatum to the Kremlin, Russia likely would not have dared to attack.

"Now, any exercises can be viewed as an aggressive scenario, which is why Zelenskyy says we need to prepare, and Europe is preparing as well," the former head of the Foreign Intelligence Service added.

He noted that the Kremlin had already deployed 800,000 soldiers on the fronts in Ukraine, and finding another 300–400 thousand for a potential attack on another country seems almost impossible at the moment. According to him, Putin’s plans include escalating tensions and persuading Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to join his aggressive agenda. Malomuzh adds that Lukashenko is aware that his army is not ready for active combat and could become a weak link in Russia’s military.

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