Prigozhin’s move to Belarus could be a strategic move by Putin, and threatens neighboring NATO countries: expert

Moving Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin to Belarus could be part of a broader strategy Russian President Vladimir Putin To spread thin Ukrainian defenses.

“It’s a strategic move to bolster the position of Russian forces and open up a second front for the war in western Ukraine,” Rebekah Koffler, a writer and former CIA intelligence officer, told Fox News Digital. Koffler said her intelligence analysis tends to believe that “the revolution was not real.”

“My intelligence analysis indicates that the attempted coup was a false flag operation,” Koffler told Fox News Digital. “It is a strategic move to strengthen the position of the Russian forces and open a second front for the Western Ukraine war.”

Koffler’s comments come as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed on Tuesday that Prigozhin had arrived in his country after waging an insurgency in Russia over the weekend. Reportedly, the leader of the Wagner Group in Belarus As part of a deal the Kremlin struck to go into exile there in exchange for not facing trial, but his presence in the country has put neighboring NATO countries on edge.

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“We are monitoring the situation closely and are fully prepared to respond if the situation requires,” a Lithuanian official told Fox News Digital about Prigozhin’s move to Belarus.

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According to Koffler, states such as Poland and Lithuaniawhich borders Belarus to the west and north respectively, is right to view the move with suspicion, and is likely already discussing ways to boost security.

“Poland and Lithuania almost certainly understand what just happened, in terms of Putin moving the chess pieces, and are likely to pressure NATO to help increase its security measures and increase the alliance’s strategic reserves in the region,” Koffler said.

Prigozhin’s arrival in Belarus comes a day after he gave a speech explaining his justification for the brief rebellion, stating that the capture of Russian cities And the short-term march to Moscow was an attempt to prove the worth of his fighters. The leader of the Wagner Group did not acknowledge any agreement with Putin to end the uprising, instead saying he had stepped down in an effort to prevent any Russian bloodshed.

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However, Koffler said that “Prigozhin cannot be trusted more than Putin”, arguing that the Wagner Group leader is only sincere about his “work on behalf of Mother Russia”.

“The mother of Russia now is Putin,” Koffler said in response to the speech.

With Prigozhin now in Belarus, Koffler believes a much bigger plan will be put in place.

“Putin is widening the battlefield to reduce Ukrainian resources amid Kiev’s counter-offensive,” it said. “Putin also aims to endanger NATO’s eastern flank – which is why he recently awarded tactical nuclear weapons to Lukashenko.”

Hostilities continue in Ukraine They create a “perpetual boiling crisis in Europe” that comes with “unforeseen consequences,” Koffler noted, noting the fact that “nuclear weapons play a very prominent role in Russian military science and war-fighting doctrine.”

Koffler added that the confrontation created “a strategic confrontation not seen since the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis,” and said the US leadership could do more to mitigate it.

“The fact that there have been no attempts, whatsoever, on the part of Moscow, Kiev, Washington or Brussels to de-escalate this crisis is a serious cause for concern,” Koffler said. “As commander-in-chief and leader of the free world, President Biden has the opportunity to step in, exercise US influence and ensure stability.”