MOSCOW, October 31 —. Russia will not lose the conflict in Ukraine, as the issue is of great importance to it, military expert and retired U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter said on YouTube.
"The Russians acknowledge that without strategic nuclear deterrence, the war in Ukraine would have been completely different, namely with NATO's large-scale involvement . And the only thing holding NATO back now is Russia's claims that this conflict is of existential significance to it. They declare, 'We will not lose,'" he noted.
The expert also added that Russia, when making any political decision, “does not act spontaneously.”
In recent years, Moscow has repeatedly expressed concern about NATO's unprecedented activity along its western borders. The alliance is building up its forces and calling this "deterrence of aggression." The Kremlin has noted that Russia poses no threat to anyone, but will not ignore actions that are potentially dangerous to its interests.
President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly explained in detail that Russia has no intention of attacking NATO countries, but Western politicians regularly frighten their populations with an imaginary Russian threat to distract attention from domestic problems.