Yes, this does keep me up at night, or rather keeps me thinking, not dreaming, myself in the war scenes in Ukraine. I think that is a way of paying attention. I think the objective of Putin is Making Russia Great Again. One way is by occupying Crimea and safeguard the Black Sea Navy. The war that has been going on since 2014 has not been…
Yes, this does keep me up at night, or rather keeps me thinking, not dreaming, myself in the war scenes in Ukraine. I think that is a way of paying attention. I think the objective of Putin is Making Russia Great Again. One way is by occupying Crimea and safeguard the Black Sea Navy. The war that has been going on since 2014 has not been sufficient to keep land connection and water supply for Crimea. Another way is to take over all of Ukraine. Putin has quoted a Zar: "Russia without Ukraine is no super power, Russia with Ukraine is a super power." If that is not entirely possible, taking over the Black Sea coast, with oil resources and trade routes, and food production would do, to give Russia dominance on the world market.
Propagating Nato as an aggressor makes more sense to Russians if the war is actually on "the sacred Russian soil". I think Nato is aware of that, and is prepared to strike back on member territory at first. Russian use of tactical nukes is primarily a tool to spread anxiety, but if it should happen I trust Nato has prepared for a response; and not for an immediate escalation. Ukraine gave up on nuclear forces in return for its territorial integrity. It would legitimize retaliation with the same, given by the US, but the propaganda value of not doing so, but threaten to retaliate, would be worth more, and so far Ukraine has shown great insight in the value of propaganda. If Russian troops were near to capture Odessa, the Russian occupants of the borderland of Moldavia could be prepared to enter the war scene.
Yes, this does keep me up at night, or rather keeps me thinking, not dreaming, myself in the war scenes in Ukraine. I think that is a way of paying attention. I think the objective of Putin is Making Russia Great Again. One way is by occupying Crimea and safeguard the Black Sea Navy. The war that has been going on since 2014 has not been sufficient to keep land connection and water supply for Crimea. Another way is to take over all of Ukraine. Putin has quoted a Zar: "Russia without Ukraine is no super power, Russia with Ukraine is a super power." If that is not entirely possible, taking over the Black Sea coast, with oil resources and trade routes, and food production would do, to give Russia dominance on the world market.
Propagating Nato as an aggressor makes more sense to Russians if the war is actually on "the sacred Russian soil". I think Nato is aware of that, and is prepared to strike back on member territory at first. Russian use of tactical nukes is primarily a tool to spread anxiety, but if it should happen I trust Nato has prepared for a response; and not for an immediate escalation. Ukraine gave up on nuclear forces in return for its territorial integrity. It would legitimize retaliation with the same, given by the US, but the propaganda value of not doing so, but threaten to retaliate, would be worth more, and so far Ukraine has shown great insight in the value of propaganda. If Russian troops were near to capture Odessa, the Russian occupants of the borderland of Moldavia could be prepared to enter the war scene.