With its saber-rattling over the last months, the Kremlin has succeeded in taking large parts of the Western elite under its "reflexive control."
That term refers to a Soviet strategy of action designed to trigger desired reactions on the enemy's side.
Moscow has done its utmost to convince politicians, journalists, soldiers, intellectuals and diplomats around the world that Russia is posing a serious military threat, and that if necessary it is up for a fight against NATO — perhaps, even for World War III.