Has WW III Begun?

by Stephen Lendman

Wars don't begin on a single day by a single military action — even though history portrays things that way at times.

Hostile actions escalate over time to full-blown conflicts — the pattern unfolding in Ukraine since hegemon USA's so-called 2004 Orange Revolution in former nation-state.

It's now a territory controlled by the empire of lies and forever wars, a platform for waging war on Russia.

Things escalated since the Obama/Biden regime's 2014 Maidan coup in Kiev.

Vladimir Putin authorized Russia's SMO last February because over 100,000 US-controlled Ukrainian troops were mobilized in preparation to invade Donetsk and Lugansk, as well as the Russian Republic of Crimea — preceded by weeks of heavy cross-border shelling.

Since then, Russian forces liberated the LPR entirely, most of the DPR, and most Kherson and Zaporozhye areas.

Following open, free and fair referendum voting last month, they joined the Russian Federation — exercising their UN Charter right of self-determination. 

At the same time, hegemon USA — perhaps jointly with one or more vassal states — detonated explosives to render 3 of 4 Nord Stream gas lines to Germany inoperable, an act of state-sponsored terrorism against the Russian Federation. 

Then on October 8, Ukrainian Nazis damaged a portion of the Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait — another terrorist act against what connects Russia's Republic of Crimea to the mainland.

What was a symbolic, not a strategic, action was authorized by dominant Biden regime hardliners.

At war on Russia by use of Ukrainian foot soldiers, hegemon USA is fully in charge of their operations.

On Sunday in response to Crimean Bridge sabotage, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman, Dmitry Medvedev, minced no words as follows, saying:

"Russia can only respond to this crime by directly killing terrorists, as is the custom elsewhere in the world."

"This is what Russian citizens expect."

What happened "was a terrorist act and sabotage committed by the criminal Kiev regime."

"There never was any doubt about that."

"All reports were presented and conclusions made."

On Sunday, Vladimir Putin met with Russia's Investigative Committee Chairman, Alexander Bastrykin.

He explained the following, saying:

"(O)ur investigative team of the Main Directorate of Investigations and crime and forensic experts promptly arrived at the site of the incident."

"They carried out a detailed examination of the site together with explosives experts and forensic team and reached well-grounded tentative conclusions."

"We opened an investigation in accordance with part 2 of Article 205 "Terrorism," and this is confirmed by the preliminary stage of the investigation."

"We interrogated numerous witnesses and eyewitnesses."

"Special expert studies have been launched and largely completed – explosives expertise, DNA testing and a forensic analysis."

"Respective instructions were issued to the Federal Security Service and the Interior Ministry of Russia regarding investigative activities."

"We have already established the route of the lorry which exploded."

"It drove through Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, North Ossetia, and the Krasnodar Territory."

"In addition, we have also identified the carriers – the persons who took part in arranging the movements of that lorry."

"The FSS field agents helped to identify suspects from among those who could have arranged the terrorist act and those who are active within the Russian Federation."

Mincing no words, Vladimir Putin said the following on Sunday:

Crimean Bridge sabotage "was a (state-sponsored) terrorist attack aimed at destroying critical Russian civilian infrastructure."

Kiev regime "special services were the authors, perpetrators and customers" of what happened — as authorized by their US master.

Separately on Sunday, Belarusian State Border Committee Chairman, Anatoly Lappo, accused Ukrainian Nazis of planning imminent strikes on the nation's territory, saying:

"Today, almost all border bridges have been blown up."

"Automobile and railway border routes are completely mined." 

Ukrainian Nazis "put anti-tank mines in three rows on roads" along border areas.

"We are under pressure."

"They are aiming at our border guards."

"Sometimes they shoot in the air.

"Constant aerial reconnaissance is being carried out."

"Ukraine is planning to conduct a strike on the territory of Belarus."

Last week, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko accused Kiev of massing tens of thousands of troops along the nation's 1,000 km border.

According to Belarusian Defense Minister, General Viktor Khrenin, the nation's military is able to deploy around 500,000 forces to defend its territory against foreign aggression.

Separately on Monday, Russia responded to state-sponsored terrorism by Kiev regime Nazis against the Crimean Bridge.

According to eyewitnesses, multiple explosions rocked Kiev, Odessa and other Ukrainian cities.

Reportedly, the regime's Security Service (SBU) and key infrastructure targets were struck.

Its so-called prime minister, Denis Shmygal, said the following:

"As of 11:00 AM Monday, 11 crucial infrastructure facilities were damaged in eight regions and in Kiev."

"Some regions are currently without power."

"We need to brace for temporary disruptions in electricity and water supplies and communication services."

Occupied Kharkov areas lost power and water.

More on Russian retaliation against regime state terror as additional information becomes available.

Months earlier, Belarusian President Lukashenko warned that hegemon USA, its NATO vassals and Nazified Kiev are "push(ing) toward a third world war" against Russia, adding:

The empire of lies and forever wars "is the sole beneficiary of what is happening here."

"In this way, Europe can be shown its place and (US) competitors eliminated."

A new "iron curtain" emerged.

The risk of US-dominated NATO global war with nukes is ominously higher today than ever before.

Based on recent events discussed above, has it already begun unannounced?