Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Richard Roskell's avatar

Thanks for the great analysis. Regarding the F-16's, if they're flown from a NATO country, I see things a little differently.

Regardless of whose pilots are flying, an F-16 from a NATO country attacking Russia is a casus belli, an overt act of war by that NATO country. Russia will respond, it has to. But here there are nuances. If the F-16 from Romania or Poland attacks Russian forces that are on 'Ukrainian' soil, it would still be an overt act of war, but the circumstances are such that Russia might stay its hand. (Though it might not too.) However if those F-16's attack pre-2022 Russian soil, then I believe Russia will have to respond in kind to the NATO nations that launched the strikes.

Backing up that view are the statements from high Russian officials: if those F-16's engage in combat in Ukraine, then Russia will target them no matter where they are, be that in Ukrainian airspace or on the ground somewhere in Europe. Moreover that is a completely legitimate and legal response. It's really no different than if a missile was launched from Romania/Poland against Russian territory, or Russian forces in Ukraine for that matter. It crosses a red line that Mr. Putin set from the very first days of the SMO.

Expand full comment
Feral Finster's avatar

It is obvious that europe will go to war with Russia, once they run out of Ukrainians. The West has lost all fear of Russia, as a result of Russian indecision and dithering.

Yes, NATO are the ones attacking Russia. Not Ukraine. Yes, NATO knows exactly what they are doing and they will keep doing it, since Russia fears escalation.

No, this war won't be popular in europe. Nobody will ask europeans, just as nobody asks battery hens whether they want to be turned into McNuggets.

This will end one of two ways - Russian capitulation or a nuclear attack. This is because, short of a nuclear attack, Russia has no way of doing anything to the West that the sociopaths who rule the west care about.

And why so sentimental about europe? It's just europe. This sentimentality is what got Russia into this mess in the first place.

Expand full comment
124 more comments...

No posts