Zelensky the actor is simply no Kennedy

Finally emerging from his Covid-19 bunker (cf: Aljazeera 17 June 2020 for details of bunker) to give his annual 'State of Russia' address, Putin threw down the gauntlet against US President Biden, the UK, the EU, and NATO, by declaring that,

"I hope no-one will cross Russia's red line. But in each case we are the ones who will decide where the red line is. Organizers of any provocation threatening our security will regret it" (Sky News AU)

This 'throwing down of a gauntlet' by Putin stems from the reactions of the West to his dangerous buildup of battle-ready troops on Ukraine's border, and in Ukraine's Crimea which he invaded and illegally annexed in 2014.

As reported by Reuters,

"Britain has significant concerns over the buildup of Russian forces on the Ukraine border and wants to de-escalate the situation, foreign minister Dominic Raab (left) said on Tuesday." (Reuters : 20 April 2021) (my emphasis)

Meanwhile, the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell (right), has said that,

" ..... no new economic sanctions or expulsions of Russian diplomats were planned for the time being, despite saying that the military build-up on Ukraine's borders was the largest ever. " (Reuters : 20 April 2021) (my emphasis)

Let us also remind ourselves that, as DW (Deutsche Welle) earlier reported,

"German Chancellor Angela Merkel had urged Russia to reduce troop presence near Ukraine during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Peskov said that Merkel expressed concerns, but "did not demand" the Kremlin to unwind its military buildup, which was an "internal affair." (DW: 11 April 2021) (my emphasis)

 And whilst the EU's Borrell is assuring Putin, like Angela Merkel before him, that Putin's troop buildup, and readiness to invade Ukraine, is really Putin's "internal affair", US President Biden is,

"....... considering sending missiles and other weapons to Ukraine, amid a buildup of more than 100,000 Russian troops along its eastern border and fears of an impending invasion.

Shipments of military aid have been discussed by Joe Biden’s administration, and could include anti-tank, anti-ship and anti-aircraft systems according to the Wall Street Journal." (Jamie Johnson: The Telegraph : 21 April 2021) (my emphasis) 

More significantly, Jamie Johnson further reports that,

"Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns (left) told Congress last week: “That buildup has reached the point where it could also provide the basis for a limited military incursion.

“It’s something not only the United States, but also our allies have to take very seriously.” (ibid Jamie Johnson) (my emphasis)

William Burns underscores the caution in interpreting Putin's military buildup on Ukraine's borders and in Ukraine's Crimea within the Russian military doctrine of "maskirovka" i.e. a Russian military doctrine developed from the start of the twentieth century. The doctrine covers a broad range of measures for military deception, from camouflage to denial and deception.(cf. Wikipedia)

However the effectiveness of this Russian military doctrine no longer holds water in this digital age.

You can no longer fool people with cardboard cutouts of tanks! 

Every maneuver you take can be finely scrutinized from above. It cannot be denied. Nor can you deceive people about your intentions. Massing troops at a border is simply massing troops at a border. Re-arranging the position of your military hardware is simply re-arranging the position of your military hardware. 

Putin has painted himself into a military corner, and he knows it!

And with more and more Russian's demonstrating and nipping at his heels over his treatment of Navalny, not to mention the dire economic state of the Russian economy and the stalled Nord Stream2 pipeline, Putin's attempt to use a 'maskirovka' strategy to mollify the Russian people is simply not working.

Putin is now teetering at the edge of plunging Russia into a war with Ukraine that will spiral into a war beyond Ukraine's borders.

Zelensky now stands where Kennedy stood as the Cuban missile crisis was set in motion by Khrushchev.

And Zelensky is simply no Kennedy.

(to be continued)