Recent Leaks Prove Ukraine Conflict is Russia's Resistance to NATO Aggression
© Sputnik / Stanislav Krasilnikov
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A recording of high-ranking German officers' conversation has added to a pile of evidence indicating NATO's deep involvement in Ukraine's conflict, as well as raising questions about the transatlantic alliance's highly provocative behavior, Western military veterans told Sputnik.
A transcript of chatter between high-ranking German officers that was released by Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and Rossiya Segodnya, Sputnik's parent media group, suggests that the West is growing desperate, according to Earl Rasmussen, a retired lieutenant colonel with over 20 years in the US Army and an international consultant.
"[It's indicated by] the extent of the discussions, the planning, the use of potential long-range weapons, the attempt to wipe their hands clear, to basically target essentially civilian infrastructure," Rasmussen told Sputnik.
During the conversation, Bundeswehr representatives discussed a potential attack on the Crimea Bridge with one of the officers claiming that more than 10 or even 20 missiles may be needed to destroy it. Another mentioned the planned trip to Ukraine on February 21 to coordinate attacks on Russian objects.
"Everyone knows Crimea is never going back to Ukraine, no matter what negotiations are," Rasmussen said.
"The drone attacks, the sabotages on the Crimea Bridge previously, I think, had Western involvement as far as the planning and support also. So it's not surprising. I think BND is fairly close as far as the German intelligence, working with MI6 and CIA as well. But it is disturbing," Rasmussen underscored.
Germany's Participation Would be 'Act of War'
If the plot discussed by the German officers were to be implemented it would be an "act of war", according to the expert.
"Definitely it is an act of war," he said. "Just like the Nord Stream pipeline was really an act of war. And yet they just kind of let it happen and with no response from European countries. Germany specifically stood there right next to [US] President [Joe] Biden and just kind of like, 'okay'."
According to Rasmussen, where these missiles are fired from and who's behind the button are important details.
"We already know that Western NATO countries are involved in targeting to begin with. And I would say targeting not only within the Donbass, but targeting and plans for terrorist activities within Russia proper. So this would just be another, this would be a major, major escalation," the retired lieutenant colonel warned.
NATO Trying to Drag Russia Into Direct Conflict
Meanwhile, a rift is deepening within NATO ranks as the Ukrainian military continues to retreat, according to the retired lieutenant colonel. "They're in a very critical, desperate situation," he noted.
Perhaps, in a bid to "unite" the bloc's member-states, the NATO leadership is trying to turn the ongoing conflict into an "existential one", Rasmussen presumed.
"There shouldn't be a concern of Russia attacking NATO, but they're definitely trying to create that situation. And so if they're attacked by NATO, then Russia will counterattack," the expert said. "They're creating this conflict into an existential threat for NATO. You noticed this statement from Macron the other week, they've got divisions inside NATO, I think, heavy, heavy divisions."
If that's the case, "it's careless, reckless, dangerous," argued the military veteran: "I don't know if there's money involved, or if there's pressure from the US. It just doesn't make sense. The populations are against this. You know, three-fourths of the population is against it in France. I would gather the same amount, maybe more in Germany. So if the populations realized what their politicians are doing, I don't know what would happen."
For his part, Mikael Valtersson, a former officer of the Swedish Armed Forces/Air Defense and former chief of staff with the Sweden Democrats, argued that "It's not in Russia's interest to escalate the conflict and risk an all-out war with the West." According to him, Russia "wins diplomatically by showing restraint."
Russia's Existential Struggle
The admission by a senior European official that NATO forces have been deployed for quite a while in Ukraine alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's acknowledgment that British and French military are assisting Ukrainians to fire SCALP and Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles at Russia's targets could prompt a shift in the perception of the conflict, according to Valtersson.
"It is hard evidence of direct Western involvement in the planning of Ukrainian military operations. Many have assumed this already, but now there is proof of this," Valtersson said.
This revelation makes it easier for the Russian leadership to show that the conflict is not actually about a Russo-Ukrainian confrontation but a struggle between the entire Western world and Russia.
"It makes a great difference to large parts of the world's opinion if it's a conflict between Russia and Ukraine or between Russia and the West," the retired Swedish officer noted. "Many automatically stand with the weaker part in conflicts and if the conflict is seen as an existential struggle for Russia against the entire might of the West, it will strengthen support for Russia in the world."
29 February, 17:16 GMT
