---
title: "Financial stranglehold and a new front: How the Kremlin is pressuring Lukashenko to escalate"
description: "The Kremlin is pressuring Lukashenko to open a new front against Ukraine and NATO. The main lever of pressure is financial aid, upon which the regime in Minsk depends. Zelenskyy has set a deadline for the removal of drone repeaters. 🇷🇺🇧🇾🇺🇦"
date: 2026-06-23T22:32:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/financial-stranglehold-and-new-front-how-kremlin-pressures-lukashenko
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Financial stranglehold and a new front: How the Kremlin is pressuring Lukashenko to escalate

![Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko discuss conflict escalation amid financial dependency](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/24/kreml-davit-na-lukashenko-za-novyy-front/kreml-davit-na-lukashenko-za-novyy-front-1.webp)

Geopolitical tension on NATO's eastern flank is reaching a new level. According to Western analysts, Russia has significantly increased pressure on the Belarusian leadership, seeking to use the neighboring country's territory to open a new front against Ukraine. The Kremlin's focus is on the possibility of launching mass drone attacks and conducting hybrid operations aimed at Alliance countries.

### Escalation strategy and Moscow's goals

According to The Wall Street Journal, as reported by RBC-Ukraine, active pressure on Minsk has continued since the beginning of this year. Experts link this initiative to the slowdown of the Russian offensive in the combat zone in the Donbas. In conditions of stagnation on the main front line, Vladimir Putin needs new points of tension to redirect attention and maintain the dynamics of the conflict.

Officials from the US and European countries point to specific goals that Moscow is pursuing by demanding Belarus's participation in hostilities:

    - Using the territory for provocations against neighboring NATO countries.

    - Testing the reaction of the Western military bloc to escalation.

    - Undermining international support for Ukraine by creating a security threat in the region.

The publication notes that while incidents involving border violations, such as the flight of Russian drones over Poland last summer, were previously isolated, Moscow is now considering the possibility of turning such operations into a systematic practice.

### The main lever of influence — money

Moscow possesses a significant arsenal of levers to influence Alexander Lukashenko, but the key tool remains financial control. Former intelligence officials confirm that the Kremlin is applying a "financial stranglehold" tactic, threatening the regime in Minsk with a complete cessation of financial aid. Belarus's economy is critically dependent on these inflows, making Minsk vulnerable to Moscow's demands.

The main negotiator on the Russian side is Ambassador Boris Gryzlov. He is the one conducting the dialogue with the Belarusian leader, delivering ultimatums regarding the necessity of providing territory for Russia's military needs.

### Kyiv's ultimatum

Against the backdrop of increasing pressure from Moscow, Ukraine has also voiced tough demands to Minsk. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued an ultimatum to Lukashenko: within a week, he must remove from his territory the repeaters used to control Russian "Shahed" kamikaze drones. Otherwise, Kyiv has declared its readiness to neutralize this threat independently.

Furthermore, the Ukrainian leadership is demanding that Belarus stop supplying fuel and lubricants to the Russian army. Statistics provided by Kyiv demonstrate a sharp rise in logistical support: in the period from January to May of this year, gasoline supplies from Belarus to Russia increased 13 times, and diesel fuel supplies increased threefold compared to the same period last year.