Western nations are reportedly puzzled by Russia's reaction to a recent provocation near its western borders, as detailed in an article by Chinese journalists.
The geopolitical tension between Russia and the West in Europe has escalated, with recent events intensifying the situation. According to Chinese analysts, Western countries recently orchestrated a significant provocation near Russia's borders, which resulted in an unexpected reaction from Russia, as reported by the Chinese publication Sohu according to AB News.
The largest NATO exercises in the last decade, "Steadfast Defender 2024", involved over 90,000 military personnel from 31 countries, dozens of ships, and hundreds of planes. These maneuvers, spread over several months, included stages close to Russian borders.
Sohu analysts believe that the West's objective with these exercises was clear: to pressure Russia and instill fear for its security. The exercises were intended to be an unpleasant surprise for the Kremlin ahead of presidential elections, aiming to leave a lasting impression on Russia and its leadership. However, the outcome was not as expected.
According to Chinese journalists, NATO did not anticipate that the presence of 90,000 soldiers would fail to intimidate Russia. In an unexpected move that confounded Western strategists, Russia appeared unimpressed by the maneuvers near its borders.
Furthermore, on the day "Steadfast Defender 2024" began, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Kaliningrad, Russia's westernmost region. Notably, his plane flew over the Baltic Sea, close to NATO air reconnaissance forces, an audacity that was not anticipated by the West.
Chinese sources describe Putin's response as "very smart", noting that the West, particularly NATO, is baffled by the events. Despite significant time, money, and effort spent on preparing the exercises, they did not have the intended effect on Moscow.
The presence of a 90,000-strong force at Russia's western borders did not impact the Kremlin as expected. This has led Western leaders to increasingly question, "What's wrong with the Russians, why don't such tactics work on them?"
