The First Salvo: A War for the Future of Europe
June 21, 2026

Russia invades Ukraine. The Doomsday clock hits thirty-minutes-to-midnight. This is not ordinary skirmish like in 2014. This is a full blown assault on Europe, starting with Ukraine. No silly, outlandish attempts with little green men, but full battle-hardened Russian troops storming across the border in IFVs supported by heavy artillery fighter and air superiority.

Russia controls the skies. In the first opening salvo, they targeted Ukrainian air fields and struck down numerous Ukrainian fighter jets. Had the Americans still been in the game, they might have had satellite coverage, airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), any number of measures to warn Ukraine of where and when the Russians would strike. But that's neither here nor there. The Americans are gone, and Europe is unable to pick up the slack.

The primary axis of attack in the fog of war appear to be as follows: Russian troops are pouring out of Donetsk, Crimea, Gomel, Belgorod, and even as far west as Brest. With Belarus under their control, they can and are attacking through Belarus, with Belarus soldiers.

Ukraine cannot hold. In the early hours of the war, the Nippon high command made the decision to send three armored divisions to try to hold the Ukraine line against Russia. Unlikely to succeed, but if this war expands and NATO joins... the entire Nippon army is ready to fight. Trade with Europe is too crucial to the present and future of the PDTO. Nippon cannot allow NATO to fall, half of the free world to expire in the blink of a crisis.

But that has not happened yet. For now, the war remains limited to Ukraine. Hopefully it will stay that way.