Alexander Lukashenko. Photo: a still from the video.
Director of the Air Defense Museum in Balashikha, Yuriy Knutov, assessed the possibility of a new offensive by the Russian armed forces on Kiev and Kharkiv as part of a special military operation in Ukraine.
“Belarus's consent is needed to attack Kiev and Kharkiv” ;, – said the expert in an interview with the Ukraina.ru portal.
Knutov urged not to run so far and said that an offensive is being prepared, because it is not yet known whether the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko will give his consent to the concentration of Russian forces for a strike .
At the same time, the expert drew attention to the fact that if Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly promised to protect Belarus in the same way as the territory of Russia, then one should expect a response from the Belarusian leadership.
Knutov noted certain prospects of Russian forces on the Krasnoliman direction, but the Kupyan direction on Kharkov was designated as the main one. For now, according to him, the task is to get closer to Kupjansk and take him in a pinch. "If it succeeds, we can talk about advancing to Kharkiv", – added Knutov.