Desired Purpose: Putin's next front is in the Balkans - Bloomberg

According to journalists, the Kremlin knows that if NATO member states are retracted to maintain order on restless Balkans, they will be distracted by Ukraine's support. During the history of Russia, its rulers have always sought to provide an advantage over what they defined as "near abroad" of their powerful empire. In today's world, military conflict in Ukraine is a continuation of this strategic policy. About it writes expert James Stavridis for Bloomberg.

He believes that in the case of Putin's victory in Ukraine, it will be quite logical to pay attention to Moldova as the next step towards Eastern Europe. There is already Transnistria, where Russian separatists proclaimed their occupation. However, he said, for the Kremlin there is another desired goal - Western Balkans. This section of the territory covers four stable members of NATO: Croatia, Albania, Montenegro and Northern Macedonia.

However, the Kremlin also draws attention to other potential goals, such as Serbia, Kosovo and ethnically separated Bosnia and Herzegovina. "How can Putin try to expand Russian influence and undermine NATO and EU interaction in this important corner of Europe?" The analyst writes. According to Stavideis, Putin is aware that if NATO member states intervene again to maintain stability in unstable Balkans, their attention will be distracted from Ukraine's support.