Russian troops will openly enter Ukraine only in response to NATO entry
Kyiv, February 03 (PolitNavigator, Vladimir Raichenko) – If NATO troops enter Ukrainian territory, a mirror response from the Kremlin will immediately follow, and Russian troops will openly enter Ukraine.
This opinion was voiced by Moscow opposition political strategist Stanislav Belkovsky in an interview with the Kyiv weekly Focus, answering the question of when to expect an open attack by the Russian president on Ukraine.
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“He will decide to do this only if NATO armed forces enter Ukraine in one form or another,” Belkovsky believes. – If not, he will continue to wage a “hybrid war.” It is very important for Putin that he takes “response actions.” This corresponds to his psychology as a conservative and a person of defensive consciousness. He always wants to avoid accusations that he started something.”
According to Belkovsky, the Russian president justifies the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation by protection from the United States and NATO and the potential withdrawal of the Black Sea Fleet from the peninsula after the coup in Ukraine.
“It is very important for Putin that he is not the one who gave the reason for the start of the war,” the political strategist emphasizes. “And his latest statements about NATO legions in Ukraine are psychological preparation for the fact that there will be concrete actions.”
Russian troops will openly enter Ukraine only in response to NATO's entry.