A real war with the declarative introduction of regular troops, the use of aviation, an attack on Kiev could begin if NATO troops appeared on Ukrainian soil. But no one started it.

This was told Ukrainian journalist and political analyst Vitaly Portnikov, quoting his Russian counterpart on Radio Liberty.

"I have no doubt that he accurately translated the theses that he heard from representatives of the Russian government. But we see soldiers of NATO countries marching in the parade in Kiev, we see at this parade the US Secretary of Defense and other military ministers of NATO member countries. And no one starts any "real" war. Moreover, the first signs of a real ceasefire appear on the long-suffering Donbas, "he wrote..

According to him, Russia protested against the expansion of NATO to the east of Europe - but after the Warsaw Pact was accepted into the alliance in Moscow, Moscow began to perceive the former "zone of influence" of the Soviet Union as a foreign territory that it is not worth claiming. After that, Russia began to say that NATO can not go through the "red line", which was drawn just on the former Soviet borders. It is clear that as part of the USSR in Moscow perceived and occupied in 1940 by Stalin, the Baltic States. However, after the acceptance of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia in NATO, Russia did not arrange a war.

"Russia has waged war against Georgia and Ukraine. Both countries did not receive a plan for NATO membership - in the West they began to fear that the Euro-Atlantic integration of the former Soviet republics could lead to destabilization of the situation. And the destabilization was caused by the absence of Euro-Atlantic integration. Everything is exactly the opposite, "he adds..

Portnikov writes that Russia attacked Ukraine when the country officially declared its non-alignment. When most citizens did not support Ukraine's accession to NATO. When the Ukrainian army could not oppose Russian troops, and special services and law enforcement agencies until the time of Yanukovych's escape were led by Russian agents.

"And if Ukraine received at least a plan for membership, not to mention if it were a member of NATO - no attack, most likely, would not have happened. And Europe would remain peaceful. This is what most Ukrainians could not understand. And this is something that many in the West still can not understand. Russia does not want to participate in a real war. Russia wants to participate in exercises, special operations, sabotage and parades. That's why she always attacks only those who are weaker than her, "he says..