politics
Why I now fear Putin will fire a nuclear weapon: PHILIP INGRAM
As a former senior intelligence officer, I have learned to pay attention to the oddities, the small, unexplained details that make the hairs rise on the back of your neck.
TL;DR
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe's unannounced trip to Moscow signals potential Russian escalation or testing of Western red lines.
- Russia is allegedly engaging in 'hybrid attacks' across Europe, including drone strikes and sabotage, to disrupt military aid to Ukraine.
- While a conventional attack on NATO is improbable, there is a growing concern that Putin might use a 'test' nuclear detonation to intimidate the West.
- This 'theatrical' nuclear event, detonated over Russian territory, would aim to pressure Ukraine into accepting peace terms favorable to Russia.
- Such a move would likely alienate allies and lead to conventional NATO retaliation, making it a lose-lose scenario for Putin.