Do you think a war between NATO and Russia is possible in the near future (and if so what would it be like)?

[Ad_Quid_Orator]

I've seen a lot of people argue that it's obvious what would happen if war broke out between Russia and NATO: nuclear Armageddon. Although I'm not entirely (key word entirely) convinced of this and I think a conventional war between the two would be possible.

How? Well let's say Putin finally decides to put actions to all his saber-rattling about "escalations" and launches Russia's ICBMS at NATO but they end up going kaput because Sergei stole the tritium out of the warheads and sold it to make a quick buck. How should NATO respond to such an attack? Maybe storm Moscow?

And I know some commentators will bring up how "Russia" was underestimated before and they were able to defeat world class armies like the Swedish Empire, Napoleon and Nazi Germany but they forgot a critical difference between those times and now:

Back then, Russia had Ukraine on their side.

[RebelinSteel]

Russia, China, North Korea and Iran are currently the know threats that the west face. Russia is trying its hardest not to use Russians from St Petersburg and Moscow in Ukraine. It has being doing a lot of work with North Korea and is putting North Korea troops in Ukraine as well as using North Korean ammunition (and Chinese).
A bit like Spain was a practice for Germany pre WW2 I view Ukraine as a practice for Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, they will be bloodying their troops, learning at both a tactical and strategic level, remodelling their forces for the modern era.

Now how much technological assistance will Russia give North Korea, will it provide enough modern missiles and upgrade its nuclear weapons, I think so.
Imagine North Korea with modern weapons, troops who have seen combat, their leader is enough of a psycho to launch and attack against both Japan and South Korea.

If that is done at the same time as an Iranian full on attack against Saudi and closing the gulf, you could see a conflict almost at WW3 levels but without Russia or China in the lead. This allows them to control their puppets and severely damage the west, drawing in western military to defend key areas.

That is more my view on how things would start off, oh and Google how many Russian and Chinese are in the USA…. Pretty much all under 35 and able to get access to weapons.

[DryGermanGuy]

No. Depending on the weapon systems, Russia lost between 25% and 90% of their active and stored materiel. And that's just from fighting a greenhorn Ukrainian army. Outside of any nuclear scenario, NATO would wipe the floor with current Russia.

[Kelly6]

@DryGermanGuy
The nuclear thing is true, but that is exactly why Russia doesn't have a nuclear command center, all their nuclear site have their own command and authority to launch nuclear.
So if Nato does use nuclear, Russia will use it too, and both sides will be zombies 😂😂.

I will say it's smart move. It's like saying.
If we go down, We will take you with us.

[goaded]

@Kelly6 That's not news, that's MAD. Mutually Assured Destruction.

[purplepoppy]

Wouldn't be surprised if Trump pulls america out of nato and joins with Putin in attacking Europe.

I've always viewed the conflict to be between Russia and the USA with Europe just a rather handy area for the USA to launch attacks from. I predict initially the USA will keep its troops and equipment safely in the states until Europe and Russia slog it out and it becomes clear where the lines drawn and where's safe (less radiated) to use as a base.

[goaded]

Airstrip One.

[Kelly6]

@Avicenna Russia doesn't have a nuclear command center, all their nuclear site have their own command and authority to launch nuclear.
So if Nato does use nuclear, Russia will use it too, and both sides will be zombies.

I will say it's smart move. It's like saying.
If we go down, We will take you with us.

[Avicenna]

I'd put the chances at almost zero. Putin would lose power if there were war with NATO due to a Russian attack like you've described, and there is nothing more important to him than staying in power. Hence picking on smaller Ukraine and Georgia.

[Avicenna]

NATO doesn't have the capability for conventional offensive war in Russia to the point that it would be storming the gates of Moscow. What would likely happen is that they'd cut off the Russian columns and supply lines from each other in whatever NATO territory they had invaded and bomb them to pieces.

[genericname85]

"possible" yes. but I don't think it's a realistic scenario. cause both sides will have to invest way too many ressouces and you can't forget that both NATO and Russia have enemies just waiting for them to be weak as well so the can't over invest or else the other enemies will start stabbing their back. geopolitics are complicated.

[NaultD]

Putin would have to do something egregious and a US stealth bomber will destroy putin palace home with or without him inside. From there all allegiance from the ruling oligarchs will kill putin or putin will surrender.

[normalice]

The only way there would end up being a war is if Putin knows he is about to die of old age or cancer and decides he's fine with taking the rest of the world with him.

[slatyb]

I don't. Putin is a coward.