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Chapter 2709 Warsaw Pact Southward Expansion (First Update, Please Subscribe)
That autumn, the weather in Moscow was colder than usual.

The atmosphere under the Kremlin lights was even colder than the bitter cold outside.

The Soviet Union, the world's most powerful "polar bear," was somehow surpassed by others without anyone noticing.
It wasn't about surpassing them, but rather about completely overturning everything with a revolution in the military field, which they valued most.

Under the attack of drone swarms, tanks, once kings of the land, were reduced to scrap metal, and advanced anti-aircraft missiles became mere decorations.

This means that the massive tank fleet built by the Soviet Union after World War II became scrap metal.

This is not just 10,000 or tens of thousands of tanks, but more than 100,000 tanks and armored vehicles of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. In order to fight under the threat of nuclear war, the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact wished they could put tracks and wheels on everything.

And now?

The arrival of drones has revolutionized everything.

Tanks and armored vehicles are likely to become targets under drone attacks.

Not only that, but they also have stealth attack aircraft. With the help of their British friends, they finally obtained some performance data of the Night Shadow fighter jet.

"...With aerial refueling, the Night Shadow stealth fighter has a combat radius exceeding 2000 km, posing a threat to Moscow even from the British mainland. It can carry conventional bombs, laser-guided bombs, and the 30-kiloton Commando tactical nuclear bomb. This tactical nuclear bomb, jointly developed by the SEA and the UK, is one of the most advanced tactical nuclear weapons in its arsenal. It uses an inertial guidance system and has an accuracy of within 10 meters..."

In a conference room on the second floor of the armory building, KGB chief Andropov introduced "Night Shadow" to them.

"If it takes off from West Germany, it can directly penetrate our air defense network and drop tactical nuclear bombs on Moscow or our nuclear missile launch sites without our knowledge. The 'Commando' tactical nuclear bomb, by using depleted uranium casings, achieves the ability to penetrate 3-6 meters underground, which can not only destroy our underground command centers, but also our nuclear missile silos..."

Then, he gave his conclusion directly:
"Faced with such a stealth attack, we have no ability to retaliate. What's even more alarming is that the SEA plans to equip itself with 59 Night Shadow stealth fighters. At the same time, the Royal Air Force and the US Air Force have both expressed strong interest in them. The UK plans to purchase 18 to 24 Night Shadow stealth fighters to strengthen its nuclear strike capability, and the US is doing the same, though their purchase quantity may be even larger..."

Andropov then added:

"According to reliable intelligence, the United States is also developing a similar stealth fighter. Although its performance is not yet clear, it is certain that stealth is an inevitable choice for future air force fighters. In this field, we are lagging behind the West, and the pressure from the West is also very real."

After he finished speaking, the meeting room fell into a profound silence—not just silence, but a deathly silence.

What did they feel in that instant?
It was pressure, and it was the kind of pressure we'd never felt before.

At that moment, they seemed to suddenly feel the same way that steel felt when it faced the atomic bomb from the United States.

It's a deep sense of powerlessness.

Of course, they cannot compare to steel. Steel not only possesses an extremely tenacious will, but it also faces a time immediately following the end of a war.

At the time, the general public in the West still regarded the Soviet Union as their ally, not their enemy.

Therefore, he has time to deal with it.

But now?
Faced with such a cruel reality, they had only one thought in their minds: God bless them!
Western countries will not start a war.

Yes, all they can do now is pray to God.

It's like a joke.

However, the advanced performance of drones, especially stealth fighters, that they obtained through intelligence channels has completely overturned their imagination.

It is a complete subversion.

At that moment, they suddenly had a feeling—if they hadn't obtained this secret, perhaps they could have faced the situation calmly.

But what about now?
No one can stay calm.

Or rather, they were unable to face this threat without any reservations!

This is a deadly threat!
"Alright, comrades, this is the predicament we face!"

Brezhnev's deep voice broke the silence in the meeting room. Beside him stood Foreign Minister Gromyko, KGB chief Andropov, and Defense Minister Ustinov—the top Soviet leaders—all with grave expressions. They were all acutely aware of what this predicament meant.

"The question now is—how do we get out of this predicament?" That's the problem they need to solve right now.

Then, Brezhnev turned his gaze to his comrade in front of him and said:

"Currently, we have conflicts with the SEA in Africa, the Middle East, and Thang Long. In order to maintain world peace, I think we should ease tensions to some extent. What do you think?"

This is a skillful way of speaking; it's not about backing down, but about de-escalation, for the sake of world peace, not admitting defeat.

"This is very necessary. The US will hold a general election next year, and it is still unknown whether Carter will be able to successfully seek re-election. However, if a hardliner comes to power in the US, then easing relations with the SEA will be an inevitable choice."

While expressing his agreement, Andreibov also pointed out the reasons for the de-escalation.

"Yes, we need Chang'an as a buffer between Moscow and Washington."

Foreign Minister Gromyko also seemed to support a de-escalation, while Marshal Ustinov chose to remain silent. He knew perfectly well why everyone was acting this way—it was simply a matter of finding a way out. He could express his views privately, but in the meeting room… silence was best.

"So, the question is, among Ethiopia, Rising Dragon, and Syria, which should be the focus?"

Brezhnev looked at the men, waiting for their answer.

Without a doubt, everyone knew that Ethiopia was not to be compromised. It wasn't just because it was the Soviet Union's breadbasket, involving millions of tons of grain every year; more importantly, it was Brezhnev's "medal." To concede... what would that say about Comrade Brezhnev's reputation?

“Rising Dragon, we just promised to do everything we could to help them resist the invasion. He is also one of our own. In addition, we need him to distract the SEA. In the future, we may be able to use him as a bargaining chip to negotiate with the SEA on other issues to ensure our interests. Therefore, it is not a good time to make concessions there, at least not now.”

Gromyko's voice was not loud, but he directly pointed out a real problem: the most suitable place to make concessions was Syria.

"However, we need Syria."

Brezhnev said:
“We need them to move closer to us. Under pressure from Western countries, Syria could even become a member of the Warsaw Pact.”

After glancing at Gromyko, Brezhnev reminded him:

"Moreover, Syria is related to our strategic security in the Mediterranean."

"Yes, but we have no obligation to help them occupy other countries, which was the direct trigger for this war."

Gromyko stated bluntly:
"Currently, the key to their conflict with the SEA is in northern Lebanon. The SEA is demanding that they withdraw their troops from northern Lebanon, but Damascus has refused, which is the root cause of the ongoing conflict."

As Gromyko finished speaking, Andropov said:

"The direct reason is... Chang'an did not give Damascus a chance to surrender. We all know that the reason why Damascus is unwilling to back down is that the options offered by Chang'an did not involve Damascus's future. Moreover, Chang'an's decision to support local armed forces in southern Syria has made Damascus feel panicked. Therefore, they refused to compromise and sought our support."

As the head of the KGB, Andropov was well aware of the pressure Damascus was under. It wasn't that they didn't want to negotiate, but rather that they didn't know the cost of negotiations.
For many years, the SEA had always aimed for the "complete annihilation" of the enemy as the outcome of its wars, which was precisely what Damascus could not accept.

"Therefore, I think the attitude that Thatcher of Britain expressed at the end of her visit was very important—it would contribute to the end of the war, and I think we should seek help from Britain..."

Gromyko thought for a moment, then emphasized again:

"Seeking Thatcher's mediation is crucial. As we all know, the Conservative Party in London has just suffered a defeat and desperately needs an opportunity to prove themselves. Chang'an's close ties with the Conservatives also have historical roots. If she could intervene, I think there might be a chance to persuade Chang'an to agree to end the war without a change in the rule of Damascus..."

Gromyko's judgment was very accurate.

"But this could come at a great cost to Syria. How much is Damascus willing to pay? Or rather, are they willing to pay a heavy price to end the war?"

As Andropov finished speaking, Marshal Ustinov, who had been silent all along, finally broke the silence and spoke:

"This is beyond their control. Now, we are using our reputation and prestige to protect them, and Damascus must clearly realize this."

No one would refute the Marshal's words, because it was the truth. Some things were beyond Damascus's control. Once the Kremlin made its decision, they only needed to obey. As for their own thoughts—who cared?

(End of this chapter)