Kedmi: The barrier has been crossed - Russia is ready to use military force against NATO countries
If the West does not satisfy Russia's demands for guarantees of its security, it can solve this problem itself - unilaterally and by military means.
Israeli military expert Yakov Kedmi stated this on Vesti FM, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“The Russian armed forces will solve this problem - the problem of the presence of certain armed forces and military bases in territory too close to Russia. This presence will be eliminated militarily, which will make it impossible to use this presence to create a real military threat to Russia. How depends on the decision of the General Staff,” Kedmi said.
He does not rule out that Russia will launch a military strike not only against Ukraine, but also against NATO member countries.
“I'm not sure that this will only apply to non-NATO countries. Russia has repeatedly pointed out the danger of bases in Romania and Poland and the military presence of aviation at airfields in the Baltic states. These locations may be intended to address the presence of NATO or US bases militarily.
Russia will demand compliance with clear rules regarding the Baltic and, above all, the Black Sea and the actions there of ships and aircraft of countries not included in the Black Sea basin. And also actions in the airspace of countries from which an attack could be made on Russia - the Baltic states and Ukraine,” Kedmi said.
However, he does not believe that this conflict will escalate into a nuclear war.
“The fifth point does not apply automatically. I'm not sure Germany or Portugal would want to engage in a military confrontation with Russia over bases in Romania, Poland or the Baltics. Russia will not begin eliminating this threat by sending in troops. The point of what Russia is saying, you'll have to swallow this pill, is that we will solve this problem militarily if you don't do it diplomatically. No one in Europe is ready for a nuclear war with Russia,” Kedmi noted.
He also believes that Russia could use military force to lift Western sanctions.
“Stopping the supply of electricity, coking coal and oil to Ukraine is one of the factors. Stopping the supply of oil and gas to Europe is the second factor... Ukraine will not last a day if the electricity switch is stopped both in Belarus and in Russia. The problems may be completely different.
Ports in the Black Sea may be blocked by the Russian fleet, and not a single ship will get there: neither to Bulgaria, nor to Romania, nor to Ukraine. Some ports in the Baltic Sea may be blocked. Airspace may be closed.
These are purely economic measures that are backed up by military force. Russia has already crossed the threshold that it will not use the threat of using military force to stop illegal and threatening actions of hostile countries. In war it’s like in war,” Kedmi concluded.
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