That is the most direct explanation I have heard from Putin addressing the buildup of military resources immediately pre-conflict. Given that he had proposed the "security system" to consider the interests of all sides, only to be disregarded (again) by the West, there is no wonder he considered it a threat. We will have to wait for the history books to fill in the blanks on "the punitive operation in Donbass" and the Crimean escalation that prompted his aggression. Not that I doubt the truth of such a buildup, but I'd like to see some specifics.
So, at the runup to combat operations, we have:
- the West disregarding any diplomatic query to address Russia's security interests (at least since the Putin 2007 Munich speech). The West considered Russia's problems to be personal problems (maybe a Ukraine problem, too, but screw 'em). Nothing to do.
- a 3 decades long NATO expansion eastward, abandoning any respect for old ideas like "spheres of influence" and "buffers"
- alleged introduction of advisors and specific weapons that were escalation of threat to Russia
- a cocaine-addicted, corrupt, actor-president talking nukes, NATO, and EU (same guy had campaigned on a very different platform)
- said actor-president's absurd band of benefactor, advisors, controllers, and tools
- American Senators and officials talking nukes
- Joe Biden correctly (for once) predicting the Russian invasion (did Putin fear a spy or compromise)
- the return of the Nuland/Blinken/Sherman team to State Dpt. By the time 2014 was over, Russians were savvy to these people. Now, the "band is back together," playing on old stages, just with higher stakes and more audience now.
- the January introduction of the $33B Ukraine Lend/Lease act (4 weeks before the 24 Feb combat kickoff). How could Putin have seen that as anything other than an offensive act?
It puts the Afghanistan exit in a clarifying light. The US and NATO needed go get out of there, so as to free up "advisors" and resources for what was likely a longer-term goal of war with Russia. Bonus points to Biden for making it such a clown show. Well, he got us out of Afghanistan, so we need another move on the chessboard.
You have to give Team Nuland credit for shrewdness. She picked the one remaining vulnerable country to throw out as bait. She/they really had no other option left, given their goal was open conflict with Russia. NATO had grown so darn much that the only other place to take was Ukraine or Belarus. Belarus is not going to pick sides with the West, and Ukraine is fertile soil for western persuasion.
In Ukraine, Slav-Hate works Great. No matter who loses, Slav-haters win.
