Ukraine is a pawn in a war—the U.S. and NATO against Russia. The U.S. and NATO have demonstrated no willingness to talk peace. From Alastair Crooke at strategic-culture.org: Any political solution – however theoretical, at this point – would involve Moscow sitting with the collective West. Kiev had become a bystander. Russia is preparing for an escalation in this war. She is augmenting her forces to the minimum level that could deal with a major NATO offensive. This decision was not precipitated by a significant attrition in the existing force. The facts are clear: The militias of Donetsk and Luhansk represent the majority of the Russian allied forces fighting in the Donbas. The militias have been reinforced by contract soldiers from the Wagner Group and Chechen fighters however, rather than by regular Russian forces. But this is about to change.  […]

Unpacking the Ukraine ‘Game Change’; Is a Major Conflict Inevitable, by Alastair Crooke — STRAIGHT LINE LOGIC