How Close Did we Come to World War Three?
Russians shoot at British aircraft and British Cruise missiles wreck Russian submarine
Sometimes I wonder, just how much we don’t know.
Stories emerge with different takes depending on the governments involved, or the media being read.
Yesterday (Thursday) it emerged that a Russian military pilot fired on a British military aircraft in 2022. Two missiles were fired, according to stories; both missed.
Depending on whether you read the Russian, British or US government reports, you’ll find three different stories of the same event.
The British version is that a Russian pilot tried to shoot down an RAF surveillance plane, both of which were in international airspace over the Black Sea.
The initial report of the incident from Russia said that the first missile missed the British aircraft, with the Russians claiming the second failed due to a “technical malfunction”. This version was accepted by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The BBC reports that three senior Western defence sources, have come forward with quite a different version. The experts say that overheard radio traffic includes a recording of two Russian pilots arguing as to whether they had received permission to fire. One says yes, the other no. Yet, a second missile was launched during or immediately after the argument.
The US version from papers released, adds more mystery to the mid-air incident.
A “near shoot down” is how US airman Jack Teixera described the clash. That sounds rather more serious than the initial British or Russian reports. The MoD claims that significant parts of the American report are untrue.
So who can be believed? The British? The Russians? The Americans?
Well, none of them probably.
Such incidents are shrouded in secrecy, which may be a good thing, but conspiracy theories are bound to be created when contradictory information is released.
If there is any truth anywhere, it probably resounds around one party accepting what the other said, in order not to escalate the situation into a fully-fledged conflict.
And then there is the submarine story.
Politico reports that a British cruise missile was responsible for crippling a Russian submarine on Wednesday this week. Authorities in Kyiv Ukraine publicly confirmed that a Russian submarine was wrecked with a British weapon.
Ukraine has said that the submarine and another vessel were hit, and neither would be able to be repaired quickly.
No British troops would have been used in the attack, as that would have put NATO firmly in the frame.
So, World War Three then?
That is, two reports in quick succession involving either British aircraft or British cruise missiles, and Russia.
It has long been said that the next major conflict will be the result of a mistake by one person. The mistake of the Russian pilot could have had serious consequences if the British plane had been destroyed killing the crew. That didn’t happen - this time.
If such an incident had resulted in the deaths of British or NATO troops, could we see the start of WW3?
Or perhaps the British and Russians would both cover up the story, to save face and prevent a massive and deadly conflict. All sides lie over and over, as evidenced in this article. How much don’t we know? Do we want to know?
Is World War Three on the way?
Let’s hope not.