The west defends Israel’s skies, not doing the same for Ukraine is a deadly mistake: If Europe doesn’t share its air defence systems now, Putin’s threat will only spread.
In Kyiv, I saw life under Russian aerial attack. If Europe doesn’t share its air defence systems now, Putin’s threat will only spread, says Guardian Europe columnist Nathalie Tocci
The value of an effective air defence system and of unwavering international support was crystal clear the night of Iran’s massive attack on Israel: most Iranian missiles and drones were destroyed before they reached Israeli soil. The US, the UK and France, as well as Jordan, participated in Israel’s defence.
Unlike Israel, Ukraine lacks sufficient air defences, and the west provides far less than it could or should to defend Ukraine against Russia. Ukraine is not dealing with one-off retaliation for striking a Russian consulate – as Israel is with Iran. Russia has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine since 2014, aimed at eradicating its nationhood.
Enforcing a no fly zone is an act of war against anyone you shoot down over it, and direct war with Russia is a terrible idea.
The only scenario where it doesn't end in nuclear fire is one where the US somehow has discovered every single hidden missile silo and has an unbeatable decapitation strike planned to destroy Russia's nuclear capabilities before they can be deployed.
That would require a degree of aerial supremacy unheard of in world history.
Presumably the decapitation strike would include the subs but yes, there's a bunch that would have to be taken out of commission all at once
It'd go down in history as the battle of seconds, because that's how quickly you'd have to complete the operation after starting to avoid the effects of the enemy realizing what's going on and activating anything you haven't reached yet in retaliation.