Russia Issues Subtle Threats More Far-Reaching Than a Ukraine Invasion – The New York Times

VIENNA No one expected much progress from this past week s diplomatic marathon to defuse the security crisis Russia has ignited in Eastern Europe by surrounding Ukraine on three sides with 100,000 troops and then, by the White House s accounting, sending in saboteurs to create a pretext for invasion.

But as the Biden administration and NATO conduct tabletop simulations about how the next few months could unfold, they are increasingly wary of another set of options for President Vladimir V. Putin, steps that are more far-reaching than simply rolling his troops and armor over Ukraine s border.

Mr. Putin wants to extend Russia s sphere of influence to Eastern Europe and secure written commitments that NATO will never again enlarge. If he is frustrated in reaching that goal, some of his aides suggested on the sidelines of the negotiations last week, then he would pursue Russia s security interests with results that would be felt acutely in Europe and the United States.

There were hints, never quite spelled out, that nuclear weapons could be shifted to places perhaps not far from the United States coastline that would reduce warning times after a launch to as little as five minutes, potentially igniting a confrontation with echoes of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

via www.nytimes.com

It’s looking like the invasion is on in Ukraine. It’s terribly sad — I don’t really want to talk about the personal stuff.

Apparently open source intelligence shows tanks, trains, and logistical vehicles moving into position for the invasion, and otherwise inexplicable troop positioning by Putin’s forces. Also, he’s called up his reserves. Biden’s talks, which look like they were designed to fail, failed. Spare a prayer for Ukraine and its people.