Russia told the Biden administration this week that it had better stop interfering in Ukraine — or else.
A diplomatic note called a démarche warned Biden that sending advanced tech weapons to Ukraine is “adding fuel” to the war, The Washington Post revealed. “Unpredictable consequences” could result, the note said, a suggestion that Russia might attack weapons convoys or use nuclear weapons.
Russia is understandably upset at U.S.-NATO interference in the war. Nor is it happy about NATO’s growth. The treaty organization has expanded to 28 nations, and Sweden and Finland might join. Finland borders Russia.
And just yesterday, the flagship of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea sank after a fire. Ukraine says it hit the ship with a Neptune anti-ship missile.
The Note
“Russia this week sent a formal diplomatic note to the United States warning that U.S. and NATO shipments of the ‘most sensitive’ weapons systems to Ukraine were ‘adding fuel’ to the conflict there and could bring ‘unpredictable consequences,’” the Post reported:
The diplomatic démarche, a copy of which was reviewed by The Washington Post, came as President Biden approved a dramatic expansion in the scope of weapons being provided to Ukraine, an $800 million package including 155 mm howitzers — a serious upgrade in long-range artillery to match Russian systems — coastal defense drones and armored vehicles, as well as additional portable antiaircraft and antitank weapons and millions of rounds of ammunition.
The United States has also facilitated the shipment to Ukraine of long-range air defense systems, including Slovakia’s shipment of Russian-manufactured Soviet-era S-300 launchers on which Ukrainian forces have already been trained. In exchange, the administration announced last week, the United States is deploying a Patriot missile system to Slovakia and consulting with Slovakia on a long-term replacement.
A senior Biden official said the note tacitly admits the U.S. aide is effective.
Question is, how long before the hate-Russia neocons get what they want: American “boots on the ground.” Russia, the Post reported, might attack the aid convoys. That could provoke an all-out war.
“Russia experts suggested that Moscow, which has labeled weapons convoys coming into the country as legitimate military targets but has not thus far attacked them, may be preparing to do so,” the newspaper reported:
“They have targeted supply depots in Ukraine itself, where some of these supplies have been stored,” said George Beebe, former director of Russia analysis at the CIA and Russia adviser to former vice president Dick Cheney. “The real question is do they go beyond attempting to target [the weapons] on Ukrainian territory, try to hit the supply convoys themselves and perhaps the NATO countries on the Ukrainian periphery” that serve as transfer points for the U.S. supplies.
If Russian forces stumble in the next phase of the war as they did in the first, “then I think the chances that Russia targets NATO supplies on NATO territory go up considerably,” Beebe said. “There has been an assumption on the part of a lot of us in the West that we could supply the Ukrainians really without limits and not bear significant risk of retaliation from Russia,” he said. “I think the Russians want to send a message here that that’s not true.”
Titled “On Russia’s concerns in the context of massive supplies of weapons and military equipment to the Kiev regime,” the note identifies the weapons, and says the arms shipments violate “rigorous principles” about weapons shipments. It also warned that radical elements in Ukraine could get the weapons.
The démarche said NATO is trying to stop negotiations between Russia and Ukraine:
“We call on the United States and its allies to stop the irresponsible militarization of Ukraine, which implies unpredictable consequences for regional and international security,” the note said.
Nukes Threatened
Russia has also warned Sweden and Finland not to join NATO.
“Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said that should Sweden and Finland join NATO then Russia would have to strengthen its land, naval and air forces in the Baltic Sea,” Reuters reported.
Medvedev said the Baltic would no longer be “nuclear-free.”
If Finland joins NATO, the treaty organization would share an 800-mile border with Russia.
The move would be akin to Mexico joining the Warsaw Pact.
