Ukraine vs. Russia ‘Donbass showdown’ imminent… NATO gets worried, what should I do?

[AP = 연합뉴스]

As Russia and Ukraine are expected to engage in a fierce ground battle in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, the US and the West are in deep trouble.

The British daily The Guardian reported on the 11th (local time) that Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had recently withdrawn Russian troops near the Ukrainian capital Kiiu, redeployed troops to the eastern Donbas region controlled by pro-Russian rebels, predicting that a fierce battle will soon ensue. reported

The Guardian also said that the United States and the West are deeply concerned about which weapons to provide to Ukraine.

It is over whether to provide offensive weapons that can completely drive Russia out of Ukraine, or whether it will provide the level of weapons it had at the start of the war on February 24.

The Guardian analyzed that this battle was, on the surface, a confrontation between Ukraine and Russia, but in fact, it was a ‘proxy war of the West’.

This is because the U.S. and the West have continued to provide weapons to Ukraine up to now, and the Ukrainian military has blocked the Russian advance with these weapons.

[AFP = 연합뉴스]

Ukrainian forces were able to drive the Russians out of the capital, Kiiu, thanks to US and Western arms support, but they are still struggling with Russian forces in the south and east.

Above all, the weapons they supported were anti-tank weapons, US Switchblade 600 drones, 120 British armored vehicles, and 12 Czech T-72 tanks for defense.

The Guardian evaluated that the weapons supported so far were not sufficient to turn the tide of war.

For this reason, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is calling on the United States and the West to provide stronger weapons such as fighters and air defense missiles.

The Ukrainian army will have its primary goal of intercepting Russian advances and avoiding isolation of its forces in the Donbas region, the Guardian predicted. If the military’s strength improves, the Guardian predicted that they could try to reclaim the Donbas area altogether.

Pro-Russian rebels occupied part of the present-day eastern Donbas area and established the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR). President Putin also recognized their independence.

If the United States and the West support the complete restoration of these regions with more powerful weapons than they are now, Russian resistance could intensify. For this reason, NATO member states and the United States are reluctant to provide fighters to Ukraine. This is because it not only stimulates Russia, but also increases the possibility of an ‘exploitation’.

In the meantime, whether the Czech Republic will be allowed to provide about 100 Russian-made T-72 tanks in its arsenal will be a decisive moment to show whether there will be a change in power, the Guardian said.

The atmosphere is also slightly different. It is said that the hardline theory is gaining strength within NATO as the Russian military has been exposed one after another to massacre civilians in the occupied areas of Ukraine.

The British BBC reported that in the early days of the war, NATO mainly used defensive weapons such as portable anti-tank missiles, but it is raising the level of support with tanks and armored vehicles.

However, the common analysis of experts is that in order for Ukraine to win the final victory in the ‘Decisive Battle of Donbas’, which will determine the direction of the war, it will need to receive more powerful weapons than it is now.

However, there are also concerns that if the West’s arms support is expanded, it could be swept into a direct war because it is virtually no different from participating in the war.

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