The stage is set. The Crimean experiment proved more than successful. Moscow has begun destabilizing eastern Ukraine with masked gunman masquerading as pro-Russian separatists…*cough*… again.
Of course, Russia vehemently denies any involvement of its special service. It just so happens that platoon sized groups of masked and heavily armed “separatists” were able to quickly coordinate and organize themselves into a fighting force with central leadership and a seniority based power structure, quite similar to “ranks”. One can only image how hard it must be for the Russian foreign minister to keep a straight face.
With the Russian military massing along the eastern border of Ukraine and Western powers spinning with diplomacy and rhetoric, the Ukrainian government has declared war against the terrorists that are besieging their government buildings. Shots have been fired. This scenario plays right into The Putin’s hands. He’d counted on it.
Since the Ukrainian military has fired upon “Ukrainian separatists” (aka Russian Special Forces), Russia will be left no choice but to invade Eastern Ukraine with the noble intent of defending its citizen from their own government. As I write this, Russia has called a special U.N. meeting to discuss the crisis in Ukraine. I’m willing to bet they will be asking the Security Council for special permission to engage in a humanitarian (military) intervention. Their troops just happen to be massed along the border anyway, right?
With that, we now have pro-Western (and Western backed) and pro-Russian (and Russian backed) forces battling it out on foreign soil. Russia is likely going to make a move and get “officially” involved. At that point, Putin is sending a clear message to the West: “I’m not afraid.”
Why this matters
A man without fear and a military agenda is a dangerous man indeed.
If countries like the US, Canada and the UK don’t take decisive and proportional action against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Putin will have won his bet.
Welcome to Cold War 2.
#NOW 