Economist Korenev compared Lukashenka's words about the gas pipeline with “nuclear” threats Kim Jong-un 
acts in the same way as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, promising to hit the US with nuclear missiles. Such a comparison in a conversation with “Lenta.ru” was given by economist Alexey Korenev.
He noted that a politician has more than once happened to make loud, scandalous statements, and then retreat from them.
“The shutdown of the gas pipeline, even now, in the midst of the energy crisis, will be perceived by both European leaders and ordinary people as an unequivocal blackmail. This is a blow to the most sore spot. Europe already does not have enough gas, and then it will also be cut off. If Lukashenka nevertheless takes such a step, he will fall under such sanctions that he never dreamed of. Of course, the main trade partner of Belarus is Russia, but this does not mean that the country exists in a vacuum. You can put pressure on it, and you can put pressure on it very hard, “the economist emphasized.
Similar statements, according to him, are regularly made by Kim Jong-un, promising to strike missiles on US territory. But everyone understands that he will never do this, since such a step would be tantamount to suicide. The same, according to Korenev, is happening in the case of Lukashenka: he will hardly dare to go to shut off the gas pipeline. Most likely, the situation will be limited to verbal blackmail.
“The situation in Belarus is very difficult now. She cannot decide what to do with all these cold, hungry migrants. Lukashenka has a hopeless situation: it is impossible to squeeze them out to Europe, it is impossible to keep them, neither Germany nor Russia wants to help. He is at a dead end and is trying to get out of the situation with the help of at least threats, which will be perceived extremely negatively. I am sure that in the near future there will be a rebuke from Germany, France, Poland and other European states promising to severely punish Belarus if the gas pipeline is cut off. So, I hope that in the end Lukashenka will say that he was simply misunderstood. Because otherwise the people will be most sorry, “Korenev concluded.
The migration crisis on the border of Belarus and the EU countries began after Lukashenka threatened to weaken control over the flow of refugees and drug trafficking. This happened against the backdrop of yet another aggravation of relations between Minsk and the West. On November 11, the Belarusian leader promised to cut off the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline if the borders with Belarus are closed.