Analysis: Has World War III already begun?

There is still a reality where such a disaster is avoided or at least delayed, writes Sky News, translates Periscope.

But for now, with violence spreading across Ukraine and the growing hostilities between Moscow and Western allies, the danger of events erupting in the Third World War has never been greater.

And given the progress of weapons involving nuclear weapons since 1945, possible consequences for the entire planet could not be more serious than they are now.

It is worth considering how events can develop and why it is dangerous to assume that the tragedy and suffering caused on Ukraine will remain within its borders.

First of all, as Jens Stoltenberg said, the secretary general of the NATO alliance this week, <x0...war is dangerous. It's also unpredictable”.

Most importantly, the war in Ukraine has turned into a field of mediating warfare into a much wider race between Western, liberal democracies and the world's authoritarian regimes.

Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine focuses on the desire to restore an expansion east of the NATO alliance since the end of the Cold War and restore the balance of security and influence in the region more favourably in its direction.

This means that the result of his actions can shape the fate of all of Europe.

The shares couldn't be higher.

Immediately, Russia's conquest is a disaster for a whole generation of Ukrainians who struggle for their survival or are forced to flee.

But shocking waves of attack have also had a profound effect on the international system, with economic, financial, trade, cultural, travel, news and sports between Russia and the West interrupted, however.

President Putin on Saturday described a Western decision to impose unprecedented sanctions against his regime as “similar to the war declaration”.

World War III has already begun, but not on the battlefield

He's right. Both sides are locked up in an economic and political struggle.

But Great Britain, the US and other allies reacted to Russia in the harshest way possible, imposing sanctions, rather than military confrontation against the Russian leader's aggression in Ukraine.

The main question is whether both sides have the restriction and/or the desire to keep this conflict wider under the threshold of a full military conflict.

It is a delicately balanced equation and underscores the fragility and gray line between what is conventionally viewed as peace and war.

How the War Between Russia and the West Could Begin

As for possible lighting points that lead the world into armed confrontation, there are many.

For example, NATO allies have made it very clear that they will not send troops to Ukraine to help the Ukrainian armed forces defend themselves.

Such an action would actually be a war proclamation with Russia since both sides start killing each other in direct combat.

The same argument has been used by the West to reject the increasingly anxious prayers of President Voldymyr Zelensky and his government to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine's skies.

Every burning tank helps morals

Instead, individual allies, including Great Britain, the U.S.A. and even since the beginning of Russia's invasion, Germany, at its most uncivilized beginnings, are trying to track a middle line between direct intervention and failure to do anything.

This includes sending weapons and ammunition to strengthen Ukraine's military to defend itself.

“Every burning tank is what drives us the most forward,” said a Western official.

The contributions include land-air missiles and have recently been decided to include fighter aircraft.

The final result is not as effective as it is NATO would have directly protected Ukraine's airspace, but clearly is helping Ukraine to do almost the same.

Russia's victory could further meet its goals

But this too is a matter of choice, with which there is danger.

What if Moscow decides to see one of its aircraft crash from a Ukrainian-donated U.S. missile like the one that the U.S. takes it down directly?

The result of the overall war between Russia and the West would be the same.

But the alternative for Western allies not to do anything to support Ukraine militarily would simply make Ukraine's loss inevitable, allowing Russia to win its neighbour's closing price east and west.

That would be a devastating blow to Ukraine.

The longer the conflict lasts, the greater the risk is that a Russian-loss missile or missile will hit one of NATO countries that restrict Ukraine, or throw out a warship or an Allied aircraft operating nearby.

Allies have strengthened their defence along their eastern wing in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine, which means there are much more military equipment and personnel in the region, raising the risk of a mistake.

There are channels of communication between the two sides to break off military movements and to ease the crisis if something unintentional occurs.

But it's not guaranteed.

Finally, this is not a draining list. There is the possibility of a miscalculation from Russia causing a chain of events that erupt in global war.

This may already have happened with Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.

But what if he decides to go further, like targeting neighbouring Moldova, or directly testing NATO unity by directly attacking a coalition member?

The world's ability to absorb such shocks without security decay is limited and is already testing to the border. /SkyNews/Periscope/