Is Russia Targeting the Balkans to Start a War with NATO?

As Russia’s war against Ukraine grinds into a fourth devastating year, a new flashpoint is emerging – this time in the Balkans.

Security analyst Dr. Ivana Stradner warns that the Kremlin may be stoking instability in Southeast Europe to open a second front and divide NATO.

With several Balkan countries now NATO members, even limited escalation could risk triggering direct military confrontation – potentially marking the most dangerous moment for European security since the Cold War.

In this video, Kyiv Post’s Jason Smart investigates Russia’s broader strategy, including its use of cyber warfare, psychological operations, and disinformation to undermine Western cohesion. Could this be Putin’s next major move to shift momentum in Ukraine and fracture the alliance holding him in check?

Dr. Stradner, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Kyiv Post Special Correspondent, is one of the West’s foremost experts on Russian hybrid warfare. A native of Serbia, she has briefed Western governments, testified before the European Parliament, and published in news outlets such as Foreign Affairs, Politico, and The Washington Post.