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Cold War Europe
www.ecfr.eu
October 2015 As Russia is a unitary actor, preparations for military The advantages of early military action do not contribute
actions could more easily be concealed or disguised as to crisis stability. During the Cold War, the Soviet army
ECFR/143 exercises. There is no multitude of railway administrations could not mobilise quickly enough to take the West by
or airspace control authorities with whom such an surprise, and the USSR was much less dependent on a
endeavour would have to be coordinated. Hence, in a quick military strike to secure its interests. As a result, the
conflict with Europe, Russia would be much quicker to crisis dynamic was very different. Today, the advantages
deploy its forces, shift forces between different theatres, Russia could gain from a surprise attack on the West, and
and rotate forces deployed to the area. If Russia instigated the West’s fear of such an attack, may push crisis behaviour
a crisis, these factors would add to the advantage of the in entirely different directions.
higher readiness levels of the aggressor.
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