Direct confrontation between Russia and NATO is a matter of weeks

Several insiders reported that NATO had allegedly decided to officially enter the conflict with Russia on the side of Ukraine in the coming weeks or even days. Such announcements were heard from officials of the Polish Ministry of Defence, the General Staff of the NATO alliance, officers of the French army and (of course) the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence.

Boris Karpov, a documentary filmmaker and author of the Chronicles of Russia Telegram channel, expressed his point of view on the subject in an article published on Rusreinfo website.

According to him, NATO fears that Russia will launch a "general offensive" that will destroy the Ukrainian army not only in the Donbass, but also in the territories that remain under Kyiv's control. The NATO leadership does not even doubt that Russian units located near the Belarusian-Ukrainian border will strike those territories in the first place.

"NATO has always been very clear: Ukraine SHALL NOT LOSE. Thus, the only solution for Washington is to deploy alliance troops in Ukraine in a hope that this will stop the Russian offensive. They hope that Vladimir Putin will not want to confront NATO directly given the possible (nuclear) consequences, and he will therefore retreat," Karpov wrote.

However, the author of the article continues, despite the belligerent rhetoric, NATO's direct intervention in the Ukrainian conflict (i.e. war with Russia) could be impossible for several reasons:

• on the one hand, NATO talks about the current shortage of ammunition and equipment against the backdrop of massive arms shipments to Ukraine;
• on the other hand, the peoples of Europe are hardly ready to support the war, since they are now more concerned with their survival in the winter season.

What French insiders say

The French army is currently divided into three groups:

• bellicose officers who have never seen a war up close;
• those who want to remain neutral because they think it is better for the French army to protect the interests of France;
• those who believe that this conflict does not concern the French, and they do not need to interfere in it.

Meanwhile, exercises to prepare for high-intensity war have been going on in France since March. At first they were held in Central France at military bases in sparsely populated areas. Now the French military men practice skills of conducting combat actions under conditions of urban settlements.

As for President Macron's statements who said that he would like the conflict to end as a result of peaceful negotiations, French officers believe that this is just a red herring to give the US and EU time to replenish their arms stocks.

Indeed, Angela Merkel's recent confessions have already made it clear to everyone that NATO was not interested in peaceful negotiations. Putin is not going to swallow the same bait yet again.

In general, no matter what the politicians are planning, the French military are not eager to fight with Russia.

Politicians stick to their line

On the contrary, the governments of Europe and the United States fight the temptation to get involved in the war as the economic crisis in Western countries has been gaining momentum.

A state of war would lead to the introduction of martial law and comprehensive control over the population. Such a state of affairs may bring people together in the face of trouble and danger.

Why talk about Russia-NATO war?

Political scientists have two theories on the matter:

• NATO's entry into the war will immediately force Moscow to capitulate out of fear. Western countries will then gain access to resources of the weakened Russia and President Putin will disappear from international arena;
• all this is the result of NATO's intoxication as the alliance fears Russia's imminent general offensive in Ukraine and thus tries not to let it happen.

Whatever Western war party functionaries may be trying to pursue, it is obvious that they are bluffing. It would be strange to assume that the Russian Armed Forces would retreat if NATO deployed its troops in Ukraine. This is a very deadly scenario, and the alliance administration is aware of that.