The Daily Populous Wednesday April 16th, 2025 night edition
Authored by thetimes.com and submitted by TimesandSundayTimes

The Belarusian and Russian security services are preparing to take “preemptive” measures against Nato member states, the Kremlin’s spy chief has said.

Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service, accused Nato of an increase in military activity near the borders of the two countries. Belarus is Russia’s strongest ally in Europe and the Kremlin has used its territory for attacks on Ukraine. Moscow also says it has transferred tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.

“We feel and see that European countries, especially France, Britain and Germany, are increasing the level of escalation around the Ukrainian conflict, so we need to act preemptively. We are ready for this,” Naryshkin said during talks with Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian dictator, in Minsk.

Sergei Naryshkin and Lukashenko in Minsk in 2020 NIKOLAY PETROV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

kastbort2021 on April 15th, 2025 at 18:11 UTC »

I don't see the upsides for Russia, to engage with NATO.

It is a conflict they would never win, and at worst would result in a nuclear conflict. Even without any US involvement.

The only real and tested strategy that has worked for them (Russia), has been to influence and slowly annex small parts of ex-Soviet countries. That is, until the invasion of Ukraine.

RoIIerBaII on April 15th, 2025 at 17:25 UTC »

Already been the case for years.

TimesandSundayTimes on April 15th, 2025 at 16:44 UTC »

From the Times:

The Belarusian and Russian security services are preparing to take “preemptive” measures against Nato member states, the Kremlin’s spy chief has said.

Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service, accused Nato of an increase in military activity near the borders of the two countries. Belarus is Russia’s strongest ally in Europe and the Kremlin has used its territory for attacks on Ukraine. Moscow also says it has transferred tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.

“We feel and see that European countries, especially France, Britain and Germany, are increasing the level of escalation around the Ukrainian conflict, so we need to act preemptively. We are ready for this,” Naryshkin said during talks with Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian dictator, in Minsk