Alastair Crooke, a British analyst, former diplomat and long-time operative and spy for the British secret service MI-6. The escalation of the conflict has taken on a new dimension in recent months. With the increasing range of drones and cruise missiles that are supplied or developed with direct Western assistance, objects deep in the Russian interior are increasingly being targeted. At the same time, it is not only about purely military bases or ammunition, but also about critical civil and logistical infrastructure. The consequences of these strikes are felt across the Russian economy and push the threshold of retaliatory measures by Moscow into a zone where direct confrontation between Russia and the European members of the North Atlantic Alliance becomes a tangible threat. And it is the warning of a retired British spy and diplomat that gives the whole thing a very strong and credible framework.