Putin's hybrid option is to launch a nuclear attack on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, - historian Felshtynskyi

Yuriy Felshtynskyi, a historian and researcher of Putinism, stated this Espreso.TV live on air.

"Putin knows that he has nuclear weapons in stock. I am sure that he is now concentrating troops in Belarus for a new attempt to capture Kyiv. I do not think that it will be successful and that army which will be concentrated will be more professional than the one that occurred in February," he believes.

According to the historian, Putin is hoping for another attempt at revenge for the failure near Kyiv.

"Without Belarus, he cannot advance on Kyiv - that's clear. It is important for him to finally get Belarus as an ally. Every soldier is important to him, so he pressures Lukashenko to formally enter the war. If Lukashenko enters this war, it will be the end for him "Ukraine will have free hands to launch pre-emptive strikes against Belarus," added Felshtynskyi.

According to him, this would be a very positive moment.

"On the one hand, Belarus is a geopolitical springboard to bring Putin to the Eastern European borders, and on the other - a springboard to launch a potential nuclear strike from the territory of an independent state. I am sure that the United States understands all the risks associated with possible nuclear strikes from the territory of Russia or Belarus. It is clear that these strikes will not go unanswered. I think that Putin's hybrid option is that he will launch a nuclear strike not from the territory of the Russian Federation because it is really suicide but from the territory of Belarus. Then,  most likely the retaliatory strikes won't even be nuclear because Belarus is a small country and inside Europe, I think this is Putin's hybrid plan. This is something to watch and if we see nuclear weapons being moved to Belarus Ukraine is obliged to strike pre-emptively in the interests of preserving the independence and lives of its people," the historian concluded.