Strelkov: If there were direct conflict between Russia and US in Syria, Ukraine would launch offensive in Donbas
The former Minister of Defense of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Igor Strelkov (Girkin), did not exclude the possible escalation of the situation in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine as a result of Russia’s Syrian campaign.
“I am closely watching the events in Syria and the Donbas. Because for me it’s an axiom — if the U.S.A. decides on a direct armed conflict with Russia in Syria, then it will be a logical step for the U.S. political and military leadership to throw the Armed Forces of Ukraine into the offensive [in the Donbas] in order to pull apart the meager forces of the Russian Federation on two fronts,” he wrote on his page in Vkontakte, a Russian social media site.
According to Strelkov, Americans always prefer to fight using proxies. “In general, everything is going like we predicted exactly a year ago: instead of "a light walk" and "alliances with respectable western partners", Russia seems to be sinking deeper into a completely unnecessary war with very dangerous prospects and without any hope to win,” he said bitterly.