Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia is preparing to send a significant number of troops to Belarus, which could be used in an invasion of a NATO country.
"No one understands what war is until it comes to your house. I don't want to scare anyone. But it will come," Zelensky declared in an interview with The Economist.
Citing Ukrainian intelligence, Zelensky said Putin was training 10 to 15 divisions, totaling about 100,000 troops, to be sent to Belarus for military exercises, just as he did before Russia's full invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
"He will tell you that this is training, training near the borders of Ukraine. But believe me, this is preparing a bridgehead for offensive actions," Zelensky said. "Who told you that he will go to Ukraine? Who told you that he will not go to Lithuania? To Poland? Why does no one think that this will happen?" he said.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, NATO countries have been preparing for possible aggression from the Kremlin.
Some European leaders believe an attack in the coming years is a real possibility. In January, tabloid Bild reported that the German Defense Ministry was considering a scenario in which Russia could strike NATO's eastern flank in 2025. The Kremlin dismissed the report as "fake news."