russia could ignite a new crisis in the Balkans
russia could exploit unresolved conflicts in the Balkans to provoke new crises in the region, according to Zoran Dimitrovski, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia.
▫️ Destabilizing the Balkans is a long-term strategy of moscow aimed at weakening Western unity and diverting attention from the russian threat. russian intelligence systematically uses the region for operations against Euro-Atlantic integration.
▫️ russia’s tools are well known: pro-russian politicians and parties, the Orthodox Church, media, and “humanitarian centers,” which in practice serve as hubs of russian influence. russia’s hybrid war in the Balkans includes disinformation campaigns conducted in local languages via media and Telegram channels.
▫️ The kremlin also exploits separatist sentiments and exerts economic pressure through russian-capital companies operating in the region as destabilizing factors.
The kremlin aims to undermine trust in the state institutions of Balkan countries and keep the region unstable to leverage pressure on the EU and NATO, while simultaneously diverting Western resources from supporting Ukraine.
