NATO Still Does Not Know How To Combat Putin's Miltiary Strategy

U.S. 173 airborne brigade soldiers leave a C-130 aircraft during the “Steadfast Javelin II” military exercise in the Lielvarde air base, September 6, 2014. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

NATO Could Have Trouble Combating Putin’s Military Strategy -- David Axe and Robert Beckhusen, Reuters

Since Russian troops seized Ukraine’s strategic Crimean peninsula in late February, and separatists backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin began waging a bloody insurgency in the country’s east, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has walked a fine line.

The transatlantic military alliance has sent hundreds of troops to Ukraine to train alongside Kiev’s forces. But at a major summit in early September, NATO declined to offer Ukraine membership. The alliance doesn’t really want to go to war over Ukraine.

If Russia were to expand its coercive campaign, however, and invade neighboring Estonia — where a security officer is said to have been abducted by Russian forces, a little more than a week ago — NATO’s 27 other member states would have little choice but to deploy troops in combat. They are obligated under Article 5 of NATO’s 1949 founding charter to defend each other from attack.

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My Comment: Putin's military strategy has been very simple .... appeal to the Russian minorities that are within these countries that a better alternative is available to them if they join Russia. Because many of these Russian groups already feel that they are being persecuted, it is an offer that many of them find to tempting to not ignore. Not surprising .... when conflict erupts .... as in the case of eastern Ukraine .... many of these Russian groups (and other minorities) then look to Russia for their salvation .... which so far Russia has been more than happy to oblige.

It is always easy for an invader to invade if the locals support them .... and for Russia it has been easy because the groundwork has been laid that they are perceived as liberators rather than the invaders. In places like Crimea, eastern Ukraine, the breakaway parts of Georgia (South Ossetia and Abkhazia) .... many of the locals made the decision to be with Russia (or independent) rather than with the country that they are a part of .... as a result .... for the Russian military .... it has been easy pickings.


To combat Putin's military strategy .... I believe that it is important that the central governments in these disputes must find a way to satisfy and placate their restive minorities. Kiev must compromise and accommodate eastern Ukraine. Estonia and Latvia must compromise and accommodate the sizable Russian populations within their borders. Georgia must seek out a better relationship with the Ossetians and Abkhazs. If these restive minorities feel that they are being treated with respect .... they would then not look towards Moscow for their salvation. Unfortunately .... for many of these countries .... searching for compromise and accommodation with their minorities .... especially with their Russian minorities .... has been on the bottom of their priority list.