The recent escalation in Ukraine has seen warnings of World War Three from independent and mainstream media commentators, with the former Ukrainian General Zaluzhny claiming it has already broken out.
“I believe that in 2024 we can absolutely believe that the Third World War has begun,” said the former commander of Ukraine’s military, in remarks published by Politico on November 21st.
Yet his analysis relies on the dubious claim that Russia is already fielding “North Korean troops” and using Iranian missiles. Zaluzhny, as a Ukrainian war leader, has an obvious interest in promoting a war which drags the US-led NATO in on his side.
The wider concern is not what the Russians have been doing, but what they will do next, in the face of repeated provocations from a liberal global order fighting for its life.
‘This could go nuclear,’ warns Colonel Macgregor
Though Russia has a second-strike nuclear doctrine, meaning it says it will only respond to and never initiate a nuclear attack, the recent escalation has been said to bring the world closer to nuclear war than it has ever been, according to retired Colonel Douglas Macgregor.
Former British Intelligence officer Alastair Crooke’s opinion is that the West has failed to recognize the significance of the new Russian weapon system.
The New York Times, in its November 23 report, appears to confirm Crooke’s view, as it described the brinkmanship as a series of “tit for tat” strikes, saying only that the Russians have responded with a “test-fired intermediate-range missile” in response to the authorization of long-range strikes into Russia using NATO supplied and guided ATACMS (U.S.) and Storm Shadow cruise missiles (provided by the U.K).
Yet Crooke offered more nuance, saying the new Russian system had “checkmated” the Western escalation, led largely by the U.K. government.
Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter gave a detailed account of the new missile, noting its hypersonic capability made it impossible to counter, and that it could also carry a nuclear payload in future.
Called “Oreshnik,” the medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) had never been seen before, and its maiden mission was described in a video address given by President Vladimir Putin, following its use in a strike in Ukraine.
Ritter has stressed, along with others, that the new Russian missile is not simply another bomb but changes the balance of power. Russia can now attack and destroy any target it chooses with a non-nuclear weapon which cannot be stopped and has the impact of an in-theater, or small, nuclear bomb without the accompanying radiation harm.
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