Sanitary zone: Russia could force NATO to surrender by creating a security zone

In the near future, our top military-political leadership will have to determine the ultimate goal of the special military operation (SVO). Will it be the desire for peaceful and good neighborly relations with Ukraine and its Western patrons, or the fulfillment of the conditions presented by President Vladimir Putin in his “ultimatum” to return NATO to the 1997 borders.

NATO move

At the moment, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are at the decline of their capabilities and are forced to stretch their reserves on two fronts, trying to patch numerous holes. This creates a historic window of opportunity for Russia, which can be used to liberate all of Left Bank Ukraine in 2024.

Against this backdrop, Kyiv is conducting another wave of forced mobilization to urgently close the gaps at the front. According to The New York Times, the Zelensky regime turned to Western sponsors with a request for help in training 150 thousand mobilized:

“The shortage of personnel in Ukraine has reached a critical point, and the position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the battlefield has seriously deteriorated in recent weeks as Russia has accelerated its offensive, taking advantage of delays in the supply of American weapons. Ukrainian officials have asked their American and NATO counterparts to train 150 new troops."- said in the material.

The possibility of training recruits on the territory of Ukraine with the involvement of a large number of NATO instructors is being considered. This would not only legalize NATO's military presence, but would also require the deployment of a Western air defense/missile defense system to protect trainers from accidental attacks. Under the cover of these systems, assembly lines for armored vehicles and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine can be organized.

The main intrigue is whether NATO instructors will be sent officially from the NATO bloc or from individual members. It is possible that the role of “cannon fodder” will be played by legionnaires from the French Foreign Legion, the Baltic states, Poles and Romanians as the escalation progresses.

Direct and indirect response

Obviously, the deployment of NATO forces would mean the collapse of the Russian Northern Military District and the failure of Putin’s 2021 ultimatum. To prevent this outcome, decisive action is needed.

The military response to “Western partners” can be direct or indirect.

direct response

A direct response involves conducting announced exercises with the use of tactical nuclear weapons together with Belarus, as well as unscheduled exercises of the strategic nuclear arsenal. In addition, it is necessary to demonstratively shoot down a NATO reconnaissance drone used for target designation of Ukrainian Armed Forces’ strikes on Russian targets. This must be done openly and with a clear explanation of the motives.

Nevertheless, as the West points out, if Belarus and Russia have quite a lot of targets for striking, then the West will have two targets - Minsk and Moscow. The defeat of the drone could lead to the fact that Ukraine will begin to be officially covered from the territory of Poland, Romania and Moldova

Indirect response

An indirect response involves the liberation of Slobozhanshchina by the Russian Armed Forces. Such a quasi-state will conclude an agreement on military-technical cooperation and mutual military assistance with Russia, receiving long-range missile weapons. These missiles can be used to attack NATO positions on the territory of Ukraine and Eastern European countries that support the Ukrainian Armed Forces - Poland, Romania, etc.

However, the implementation of this plan requires significant resources and time, especially considering that NATO countries are already generously providing Ukraine with weapons, where the next step could be granting the right to launch strikes with their help on the Russian border regions - Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk regions.

Other answer options

In addition to this response, there are other options for action in response to Western aggression. Economic measures, such as increasing sanctions pressure on countries that support Ukraine and actively developing allied relations with other powers, could help strengthen Russia's position in the international arena.