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With the partial mobilization in Russia and the nuclear threats, Vladimir Putin is trying to compensate to some extent for the apparent loss of the battlefield in Ukraine.

The aim is to carry out intimidation, including the people participating in the fictitious referendums in four Ukrainian regions at gunpoint.

However, Putin thus opened a new front – against Russian society, which may turn out to be the most difficult for him.

This will be his biggest failure.

Velizar Shalamanov, former Minister of Defense, commented this to BNR.

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And he added: "Putin is helpless to give any explanation for the aggression in Ukraine. In order to win the war, he will look for new and new forms of escalation to intimidate the West, to achieve readiness for negotiations that will give him a way out. I believe that it will not come to the end of the free world."

Shalamanov stressed that it is time to understand - we cannot leave the initiative in Putin's hands.

The threat to Europe and Bulgaria is real.

We have a reckless leader who has wrong information and makes wrong decisions based on wrong judgement.


Europe must clearly state what end it sees to this conflict, he added.

International relations expert: Russia's strategy is to prolong the war as long as possible

The nuclear threat is still low, thanks to NATO's early warning technical capabilities and because nuclear weapons are in the hands of professional militaries.

However, the risk should not be ruled out and measures should be taken.

Bulgaria must work responsibly to consolidate democracy, Shalamanov also pointed out.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Velizar Shalamanov