US might see another Vietnam, warns Russian Spy chief
On Thursday, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergei Naryshkin, conveyed to the United States that continued Western support for Ukraine could transform the conflict into a protracted situation akin to a “second Vietnam,” with repercussions haunting Washington for years. Vladimir Putin had deployed troops into Ukraine last year, initiating a war resulting in significant casualties and marking the most substantial confrontation between Russia and the West in six decades.
Despite the West providing over $246 billion in aid and weapons to Ukraine, the Ukrainian counteroffensive faltered, leaving Russia in control of nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory. Naryshkin, in an article for the SVR’s journal, “The Intelligence Operative,” warned that Ukraine might evolve into a resource-draining “black hole,” creating a prolonged challenge for the United States akin to the Vietnam War.
US becoming cautious
U.S. President Joe Biden, cautious of a direct NATO-Russia confrontation, emphasized that such a scenario could lead to World War Three. He consistently ruled out deploying American soldiers to Ukraine. Reflecting on the historical context, the Vietnam War, a Cold War conflict, saw the U.S. supporting South Vietnam against a communist-backed North Vietnam, resulting in a contentious war ending in 1975.
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Biden urged Republicans on Wednesday for additional military aid to Ukraine, emphasizing that a Russian victory could embolden Moscow to target NATO allies, potentially drawing U.S. troops into a wider conflict. The U.S. planned to announce $175 million in extra aid for Ukraine. Biden, recognizing the gravity of the situation, expressed a willingness to make substantial changes to U.S. migration policy along the Mexico border to garner Republican support. He warned that if Putin succeeded in Ukraine, it might escalate to an attack on a NATO ally, leading to a scenario with American troops engaging Russian forces—an outcome the U.S. seeks to avoid.