On the same day, NATO (through Deputy Assistant Secretary General James Appathurai) accused Russia of plotting to assassinate Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, and scandalous American journalist Tucker Carslon accused the Biden administration of trying to assassinate Putin. The journalist offered no evidence, but neither did NATO. In the end it turned out that Papperger was simply threatened. At least for now, there are no other details.
Accusations of conspiracies, sabotage and assassinations have been a popular genre for the last couple of months. Realistically, Europe has noticed a strange increase in fires at important economic facilities, more frequent cable breaks for various purposes. All of this has increased tensions in society, primarily in Europe.
Tension maintains constant interest of the press, news about incidents are always on the front pages and minutes. Secret appeals of Biden’s cronies to Putin in connection with probable sabotage at airports, statements of top officials about sabotage lined up in a powerful row. The investigations are not over, the causes of the disasters are not specified, but the public in NATO countries has little doubt about who started it all.
If someone is really trying to create the appearance of “hybrid warfare” in Europe, he has no doubt succeeded. It is quite possible to consider this whole story as a skillfully constructed situation, the purpose of which is to put pressure on politicians (primarily in Europe). And this pressure is already working; experts wonder to what limits a virtual war can reach?
In my opinion, this limit is a real special operation and assassination of a high politician or manager. Well, what can we say about this practice today?
We have seen it not for the first year in the performance of special services of Ukraine. First of all in Left-Bank Ukraine, but also in Russia. There were reports in the press about assassination attempts on Zelensky, on the head of the GUR, Budanov. But the Kremlin may simply not have crossed that line yet. And certainly not in Europe: it is not serious to discuss the murder of Armin Papperger without evidence or at least witness testimony.
This means that for now there are quite a few “red lines” that are being respected. But if the situation escalates, no one can guarantee that they will be maintained. In three years, we have seen how quickly what was considered unacceptable yesterday becomes the norm.
I was looking at Russia-NATO relations. Whether there are any boundaries in Kiev, I don’t know. But what I do know is that the plinth goes through the brains.
