World War 3 warning as Putin’s bold Black Sea escalation could lead to NATO clash

Intercepting vessels in international waters and attempting to exert economic control over Ukraine could lead Moscow to ignite a direct conflict with NATO, warned the former Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO.

James Stavridis, a former US Admiral who commanded the alliance’s forces in Europe from 2009 to 2013, has warned that the recent maritime escalations, such as the boarding of a Turkish ship on Sunday, might compel Ukraine‘s allies to intervene in order to prevent severe damage to Ukraine‘s economy.

He told POLITICO: “Russia‘s actions in the international waters of the Black Sea create a real risk of escalating this to a war at sea between NATO and the Russian Federation.”

NATO “is not going to provide all the weapons and money for Ukraine, only to watch Russia strangle their economy with an illegal blockade,” he added.

Russia‘s defence ministry confirmed on Tuesday that it had fired warning shots before boarding the Şükrü Okan, a cargo ship flying the Palau flag, which the Ukrainian foreign minister identified as Turkish.

Notably, this inspection occurred in the southwestern Black Sea, near the coast of Turkey, a prominent member of NATO.

Stavridis strongly criticised the move, likening it to “piracy,” and highlighted the Kremlin’s intensified efforts to disrupt trade between Ukraine and the broader European region.

About the Author: Patriotman

Patriotman currently ekes out a survivalist lifestyle in a suburban northeastern state as best as he can. He has varied experience in political science, public policy, biological sciences, and higher education. Proudly Catholic and an Eagle Scout, he has no military experience and thus offers a relatable perspective for the average suburban prepper who is preparing for troubled times on the horizon with less than ideal teams and in less than ideal locations. Brushbeater Store Page: http://bit.ly/BrushbeaterStore

3 Comments

boss21 August 18, 2023 at 14:18

‘Strangle Ukraine’s economy.. ‘ lol. What economy ? Cuba 2.0 laundromat maybe. Strangle arms shipments and drone mother-ships more like.
NATO won’t do shit. Even Somali pirates know whose ships not to fuck with.
T August 18, 2023 at 21:12

I believe the damage to Ukraines economy is already done, between half the population beating feet west and Russian artillery turning much of the country into a moonscape. Once the Ukrainians blow up their nuclear reactor currently under russian control, to blame it on the russians, then the damage will be complete.
Ghostmann August 19, 2023 at 05:51

Germany, a NATO country, has already made overtures about getting the Russian gas turned back on. The Western Alliance is being held together by gunpoint and that’s all. Once the Russian strategy of destroying the dollar is realized, NATO will disappear the day after it goes.

This isn’t so much a Chess strategy but something straight out of Go. Control the board with as few pieces possible.

One of those pieces is now in Nicaragua. Nice open southern border the illegitimate Federal system has there too. Want to talk about nukes… why launch missiles when you can just truck in the warheads while telling the donors and oligarch class it’s cheap labor in those trucks. Even UPS and FedEx aren’t that effective in getting door to door delivery!