The key facts

  • NATO countries have been discussing since June the possibility of long-range strikes on bases, depots and defense enterprises in Russia's rear — WSJ
  • Khodaryonok considers such discussions 'empty talk' and warns of the risk of a missile-nuclear conflict
  • Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia does not intend to attack NATO countries

What the dispute inside the alliance is about

NATO countries have been discussing since June the possibility of delivering long-range strikes on targets in Russia's rear in the event of a military conflict. As WSJ found out, military bases, supply depots and defense enterprises are being considered as targets. At the same time, according to the outlet, the military themselves are not sure that European politicians would issue the relevant orders. Russian President Vladimir Putin, for his part, has repeatedly said that Russia does not intend to attack NATO countries.

Khodaryonok's assessment

Gazeta.Ru military columnist, retired colonel Mikhail Khodaryonok called these discussions 'empty and worthless talk, behind which there are no serious operational-strategic calculations.' According to him, the Western political elites and the military command of European countries are 'at a certain degree of degradation,' and strikes by long-range weapons on targets in Russia's rear could only lead to a large-scale conflict on the European theater of operations involving weapons of mass destruction, first of all missile and nuclear weapons. A detailed analysis of the alliance's topic and strikes on Russia was published by Gazeta.Ru in separate articles.