The disconnect between the Western and Russian narratives in the current conflict could prove fatal to the world, writes Scott Ritter.

Recent events suggest that Putin’s response was not calibrated to avoid a larger action in Ukraine. It is an unfortunate choice. Wherever responsibility lies for the events that have led to this crisis, war is always the wrong answer. It is unfortunate that thirty-one years of American broken promises and broken diplomacy led to this event; it is unfortunate that Russian broken diplomacy launched it. All wars must be criticized: no matter who launches them.

At the end of a special televised announcement on the evening of February 21 (Russia time), Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would formally recognize the DPR and LPR rebel states of East Ukraine as independent.

The two themes that let the Blob carry the day

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s well choreographed decision yesterday to recognize the independence of the pro-Russian Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk points to two key realities: (1) Putin despairs of persuading U.S. allies, Germany and France, to press Ukraine to honor its commitments under the Minsk accords that provide for regional autonomy as well as a ceasefire; and (2) Putin feels assured of very strong backing from China (as long as he is not stupid enough to invade Ukraine).

When a major conflict like Ukraine breaks out, journalists always ask themselves: “Where should I station myself?” Kyiv? Moscow? Munich? Washington? In this case, my answer is none of these. The only place to be for understanding this war is inside Russian President Vladimir Putin’s head. Putin is the most powerful, unchecked Russian leader since Stalin, and the timing of this war is a product of his ambitions, strategies and grievances.

President Joe Biden stated today that Russian president Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade Ukraine.

Like it or not, the Russian president is doubling down on his crusade against American hegemony

The UK in particular appears still in thrall to Churchill’s famous dictum about Russia as a ‘riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma’ and does not even try to understand

So far Russian President Vladimir Putin is the biggest winner in the Ukraine crisis by converting some heavy-duty sabre rattling into real political leverage. He has succeeded so well because US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron and other leaders draw political benefits from opposing or defusing the Russian leader’s unspoken threat to invade.