Steve Jermy: Warning! NATO Can't Win a War with Russia (Glenn Diesen)

Royal Navy Commodore Steve Jermy commanded warships in the 5th Destroyer Squadron and Britain's Fleet Air Arm. He served in the Falklands War and in the Adriatic for the Bosnian and Kosovo campaigns. Then retired after an operational tour, in 2007, as Strategy Director in the British Embassy in Afghanistan. He is the author of the book: "Strategy for Action: Using Force Wisely in the 21st Century".



Although there is talk about the Russians striking European industrial facilities this is highly unlikely. Striking drone factories won't stop drone equipment getting to Ukraine. And destroying energy facilities outside of the war zone will only anger the civilian populations of Europe and provide an excuse for an extended conflict.

All the Russians need to do is to win in Ukraine and then the West will collapse by itself because of high energy costs, deindustrialisation and the influx of migrants. The Russians don't need to make things more complicated than they already are. If they attack Europe the conflict in Ukraine automatically escalates from a Special Military Operation to full scale war. The Russians could simply escalate to a full scale war within the confines of Ukraine and leave it at that.

The only side that will engage in escalation outside of Ukraine will be NATO - where the video is correct to say that NATO cannot 'win' against the Russians - especially when considering the Russian use of ballistic missiles and the general state of their mobilised forces and industry (plus backing from China). Russia would only directly strike NATO if attacks came directly from their territory, and even then they may (somewhat) hold back and focus on finishing the conflict in Ukraine. 

[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, July 7, 2026.]