"Bluff": Political scientist on Malorossiya project

Russian President Vladimir Putin opts for meddling in the post-Soviet space through hybrid tools, says Russian political strategist and publicist Stanislav Belkovsky.

Also, Putin has no plans for a full-scale attack on Ukraine, Belkovsky claims, according to Apostrophe.

The Kremlin finds it sufficient, the expert believes, to maintain the source of tension in Ukraine, as well as in other countries of the post-Soviet camp.

"I believe Putin now doesn't need an offensive on Kyiv because he will never invade where he doesn't enjoy full support. If he succeeded with the annexation of Crimea, where Putin was confident in the local population's loyalty to Russia, there was no such goal during the occupation of Donbas. The Malorossiya project is a bluff," Belkovsky said.

The Kremlin meddles in the post-Soviet countries by creating "hot spots" with a simmering hybrid war, the expert explained.

"Putin's position is, firstly, to create a split between the United States and European countries, and secondly, to establish direct relations with European countries or to set up certain elites loyal to Russia, which will allow Russia to increase its influence there. The Kremlin will try to maintain constant tension in the countries of the post-Soviet space to act as a moderator in relation to these countries in their negotiations with the United States," the political strategist concluded.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said that up to the end of September, Russia may escalate conflict at any moment.

Zelensky also spoke about a possible "blitzkrieg" by Russia toward the borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and an attempt to "cut" a land corridor through mainland Ukraine to the already occupied Crimea.