Would there be many victims in Ukraine?

Klaipėda University Political Scientist Gabrielė Burbulytė:

 

     "Efforts are being made to rescue civilian casualties, of which there would certainly be plenty if an attack were to occur."

 

How does the lady know about this? If the Ukrainians will meet the Russians with flowers, as was the case at the end of the Smetona era, there will be almost no casualties. Or not? What does the political science say about the end of the Smetona era?