The American journalist spoke about NATO’s “unthinkable mistakes” revealed by Russia. On the air of Sputnik radio, a military expert, director of the Center for Strategic Conjuncture Ivan Konovalov commented on the publication, noting that there is no point in talking about a tactical miscalculation of the alliance.
Successful interceptions of American military aircraft by Russian fighters reveal a number of “unthinkable NATO mistakes”. This opinion was expressed in an article for the Washington Examiner by publicist Tom Rogan.
The journalist analyzed two similar incidents that took place on August 28 over the Baltic and Black Seas. In both cases, Russian Su-27 fighters intercepted US Air Force B-52 bombers approaching the Russian border.
Rogan harshly criticized NATO Air Command in Europe, claiming “unthinkable mistakes” and “serious tactical miscalculation” of the alliance. According to the publicist, Russia “particularly dislikes” NATO flights near Kaliningrad and its western border. In this regard, he wonders why American bombers fly unaccompanied by fighters, although, according to Rogan, NATO should have foreseen a “high risk” of interception of the B-52 by Russian aircraft.
According to the author of the article, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper must understand the situation with the interception of the alliance aircraft by Russia. If NATO commanders do not change their tactics, they must be replaced, the publicist concludes.
The Ministry of Defense regularly reports on intercepts of aircraft of NATO member countries near the Russian borders. The military department has repeatedly stressed that fighter flights are strictly in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace.
Recently, a military expert, director of the Center for Strategic Conjuncture Ivan Konovalov commented on the publication, noting that there is no point in talking about a tactical miscalculation of the alliance.
“The journalist is looking for a tactical and strategic meaning in the actions of NATO and the American command – the use of aviation as intended. But in fact, the NATO actions in question are provocative in nature. They are carried out in order to provoke Russia, and then inflate it in the press and in their analytical reports. Then how can we talk about tactical mistakes? Russia, of course, must react. Russian pilots react completely adequately and correctly. And this even more irritates NATO and the Americans, who proceed from only one thing – provocation. They absolutely do not contemplate whether this is correct from a tactical point of view or not. The American journalist had to proceed, first of all, from this”, – said Ivan Konovalov.