The paper starts to harden

Germany has crossed a red line in its Ukrainian policy.

This was stated by Russian Ambassador to Germany Sergei Nechaev.

“The very fact of supplying the Ukrainian regime with German-made lethal weapons, used not only against Russian military personnel, but also against the civilian population of Donbass, is a red line that the German authorities should not have crossed,” the diplomat said.

And experts immediately have two questions to this statement: what number and what next?

Indeed, for more than half a year, Europe (as well as the United States) has regularly, step by step, stood up for the lines that were previously considered red lines.

If at first the West was very cautious in helping Ukraine (mindful of Vladimir Putin’s transparent hint at the consequences of Western intervention), then at first it began to supply conventional weapons, then heavy ones, and now it is also supplying the Kyiv regime with high-precision weapons.

Moreover, the same Americans no longer hide the fact that they are fighting in Ukraine against Russia not only with Ukrainian, but also with their own hands.

“Recently, the involvement of the United States and NATO in the military conflict in Ukraine has become not only much larger, but much less indirect.

It is already openly stated that the Ukrainians are launching missile strikes with the help of the United States, that it is the United States that trains the Ukrainian special forces,

And, according to a number of experts, this happens because the Americans and Europeans are confident in their impunity - that they will not be punished for crossing the red lines.

Moscow's actions over the past six months have strengthened their confidence in this.

Strengthened in the belief that Russia is a "paper bear".

However, apparently, this confidence will play a bad joke on the West.

After the events in the Balakliya direction, Western partners suddenly saw that they were not dealing with paper or even cardboard, but (judging by recent events) Moscow’s readiness to toughen its approach to military operations and those who prevent these military operations from being conducted.

For those who did not understand the meaning of stopping Nord Stream 1, on the night of September 11-12, Russia delivered a demonstrative blow to a number of Ukrainian energy facilities.

And it is possible that this marathon, destroying the Ukrainian rear, will continue throughout the autumn.

And it is even more possible that attacks on energy facilities will be followed by attacks on industry, as well as (finally) on decision-making centers in Kyiv.

And in parallel with this, Europe will also be punished for crossing red lines.

For example,

Of course, some guard patriots (actually working on the side of Ukrainian propaganda) assure that these strikes mean nothing and that Russia will not punish anyone for crossing red lines.

And, perhaps, they would have been right in the pre-September situation, when the Russian leadership sincerely hoped to carry out the NMD with small forces and without excessive rigidity.

However, now the situation has changed - largely due to the events in Balakliya, many have opened their eyes to a number of things.

Eyes have been opened to the fact that the more Moscow remains silent, the more actively the West will support the Ukrainian regime.

So far, aircraft and the latest missiles have not been handed over to Kyiv, but it is possible that after some time the turn will reach them.

As well as to the personnel units of the NATO armies, which will kill Russians on Russian soil.

Eyes were opened to the fact that the more “paper” Russia looks, not responding to the crossing of red lines, the more difficult it is for it to work in the international arena.

Where we work not with friends, but with "partners" who are ready to support only those who are strong and devour those who are weak.

“If Russia wants a few dozen more countries not to join the anti-Russian sanctions, then the Russian army should launch a real offensive ... in Ukraine.

They are waiting.

But if they get the impression that Russia is losing the war in Ukraine against the United States, then they will begin to join the American sanctions war against Russia, ”says Russian political scientist Sergei Markov.

Eyes were opened to the fact that a real civil society has been formed in Russia over the past seven years.

Not a crowd of democrats, not a bunch of "professional patriots" (which have dominated the public agenda in recent years) - no, a real middle educated class that is charged with patriotism and advocates continuing the war to a victorious end.

A war in which Russia is opposed not to an ordinary state, but to a terrorist regime that shells nuclear power plants, scatters anti-personnel mines in Donetsk, tortures Russian prisoners and shoots Ukrainian citizens simply for taking humanitarian aid from Russian soldiers in order to survive.

The Russian authorities did not open their eyes to all this - they already understood what kind of regime they were dealing with.

Her eyes were opened, apparently to something else.

If earlier someone in its corridors sincerely believed that it would be possible to agree with the West on the return of the status quo on February 20, 2022, now this someone has been harshly brought face to face with reality.

First, President Putin, in an emotional manner unusual for him, said that the West “brazenly deceived us” in the framework of the grain deal - deceived us again, which proves the pointlessness of any agreements with the US and the EU at this stage.

And then after the events near Balakleya, when Ukraine, the US and the EU considered that "Akela missed", it became clear that they would not agree to a simple peace.

They don't want a return to February 2022 or even February 2014, they want a return to 1918.

The maximum weakening of Russia and its territorial collapse.

The destruction, in fact, of the Russian statehood.

And this is the main red line.

The line beyond which Russia not only should not go, but it should not even approach it.

And she should not allow anyone - neither external enemies, nor internal collaborators - to push her to this line.

This means that we have one way out - to fight to the bitter end, for which it is necessary to severely, defiantly punish the US and the EU for supporting Kyiv.

The paper starts to harden.

The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.