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Dr. Putin, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying About World War III: Russias Involvement in
Ukraine

Shortly after the annexation of Crimea and the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, Russia began secretly
providing military aid for pro-Russian militias in the region. Russian involvement in the current
conflict no longer remains subtle, as vintage, Soviet-era weaponry equip the fighters of the newly
dubbed Donbass Peoples Republic and Russian warplanes harass NATO forces observing the
conflict zone. Growing up the time when Red Dawn, seemed like a reality, I for one, believe that
the once great Russian Empire is no longer capable and does not wish to match NATOs military
might.

The escalation of Russian presence in Ukraine began with the annexation of Crimea.
Russian soldiers with their patches and identification removed stormed key locations in the
Crimean region. Masking his intentions under the thin veil of safeguarding the interests of ethnic
Russians in the region, Vladimir Putin had essentially conducted military action against a
Western Bloc country, violating U.N. Article 2(4). Even if he did pick the right time to storm into
post-revolutionary Ukraine, Putins aging military doesnt stand a chance against the NATO
retaliation.

Russia has already demonstrated signs of aggression towards NATO military buildup in Europe
by politically pressuring NATO influenced countries, waging military wargames and probing

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NATO air defenses with bomber aircraft. Russian fighter aircraft now blatantly buzz NATO
planes and ships operating near the Crimea region. Most notably, an unarmed Russian Sukhoi
attack aircraft targeted American destroyer USS Donald Cook and succeeded in overcoming its
advanced electronics suite. The Cook, one of the most modern ships in the American Navy was
left deaf and blind in the water as the Sukhoi sped away. American warships now maintain safe
distance from Russian territorial waters. Blaming the United States for forcing Russia into a
tight spot, Putin defended Russian aggression at at press conference with the French, saying Its
clear that the United States is pursuing the most aggressive and toughest policy to defend its own
interests at least, this is how the American leaders see it and they do it persistently. In no
position to compete with the West- economically and militarily- I am left to wonder what gives
Putin the grounds to justify Russian aggression.
To make matters worse, the involvement in Ukraine has placed Russian forces literally on
NATOs doorstep. But if tensions explode, is Russia prepared to wage war with the West a la Red
Dawn? The answer is short, but simple: no.

A shadow of its former self, the Red Army is no longer the mighty force it was in the Cold War.
Facing monetary issues, the Russian military period suffered a long period of decline and neglect
following the collapse of the Soviet Unions. Forced to auction, scrap or distribute much of its
premium military hardware, Russia was left to face the various internal issues of its crumbled
empire. Despite making a comeback in the 21st century, military modernization has come slow
and the majority of Russian troops remain poorly trained and poorly equipped. Moreover,
NATO enjoys a qualitative edge that would spell disaster for Russian forces in short order, says

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Tom Nicholas, a professor at Naval War College. With its once prominent navy reduced to a
coastal patrol force, its vintage 80s air force lacking modern planes and conscripted teenage
soldiers comprising a bulk of its infantry, the Russian Army is heavily reliant on the fraction of
its military that is up to par with modern standards. Compared with the well trained and well
equipped militaries of NATOs quick reaction force, Russias only real advantage lies in its
stockpile of leftover nuclear weapons from the Cold War.

Thankfully, we may never see such a conflict unfold for a number of reasons. Owing to the
creation of MAD, (Mutually Assured Destruction) Russia knows that no matter what, the
declaration of war against nuclear armed Western countries is an endgame for all sides.
Economic sanctions, having taken their toll on the Russian economy, deny Moscow the ability to
fund such a conflict. Already in a compromised position, Moscow knows that the West is in
position to deal a crippling blow to the Russian economy if it were to pose sanctions on Russias
strongest economic assets. Widely criticized for the invasion of Crimea, sloppy cover-up for the
Ukrainian intervention and silencing of anti-war protests at home, Moscow also knows that it
will not only have to face NATO, but the entirety of the European Union as well. But in the
improbable occurrence that Putin wages a conventional war with the West, Russian forces would
have the odds against them in a toe to toe standoff with NATO. Short, albeit ugly, such a
conventional conflict would devastate both sides, but NATO would still likely emerge victorious.

Given the apocalyptic outcome of atomic warfare, neither side is willing to fully wage hostilities.
Even though there are currently around 150,000 active Russian troops on the Ukrainian border,

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such a notion as to have them invade Ukraine, inviting a swift, global response would be; for
lack of a better term, beyond insane. Luckily for us, World War Three has been canceled,
forever. Thanks Putin!

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Typed Response
In my column, I addressed the issue of the possibility of the Ukraine conflict escalating into
World War Three. Cassidy has written about the Russian takeover of Crimea but hasn't focused
on the intervention of the Russians in the Donbass region. Often writing on worldly issues,
Cassidy would likely have written on this topic. I portrayed Cassidys style in downplaying
certain aspects of the conflict and by making frequent reference to past events.

Syntax- sentence structure is short and to the point; informative

juxtaposition- compares Russian troops unfavorable to NATO troops
Allusion- refers back to the old glory days of the Soviet Union
Metaphor- description of Russias aging military and provocative Russian actions
Diction- uses words like poorly, crippling and sloppy to add vividity to situation

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Works Cited
1.Chance, Matthew. "NATO Intercepts Russian Military Aircraft near Latvia - CNN.com." CNN.
Cable News Network, 19 Mar. 2015. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/18/europe/nato-russia-aircraft-intercepted/>.
2. Saradzhyan, Simon. "A Victory for Russia's Special Forces | Opinion." The Moscow Times. 6
Apr. 2014. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/avictory-for-russia-s-special-forces/497600.html>.

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