Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin accused NATO of escalating its military presence in Eastern Europe under the guise of countering threats from Belarus and Russia, criticizing member states for increasing military spending and acquiring modern weapons. Concurrently, Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of Russia's State Duma, claimed on Telegram that NATO is directly involved in Ukraine's military decisions, suggesting it coordinates attacks on Russian cities. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin echoed these sentiments, warning that NATO may be planning to deploy troops to Ukraine, which he described as a dangerous escalation. He argued that the West has used Ukraine as a proxy to undermine Russia since the 2014 coup. Amid these tensions, Putin has cautioned that allowing Ukraine to strike Russian territory could lead to a direct conflict with the West. The claims from Russian officials reflect a broader narrative framing the conflict as a proxy war initiated by the US against Russia.