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In any event, the WEST could make life miserable for the neo-CCCP even non-militarily but they are always wobbly.

Yeah...we could kick them out of the G-8, toss in a few economic sanctions and do a little diplomatic dance but winter is coming and Europe has been reliant on LNG from Russia for heating fuel for some time. The US under the right leadership (elections are coming soon) could do it but the Europeans will have to grow a pair to pressure the Neo Sovs.

Yep. Sometimes to avoid war and creeping aggression you have to ration natural gas. Which is worse in the long term?

We could do more than just sanctions. We could deny them all access to Western markets, seize or freeze assets of the Russian government and of the wealthy hangers on of the government, ban sales of the equipment they need, ban investment, etc. Those all in combination would do a number on their economy if done in a unified manner.

I suspect a unified Western front that gave a deadline for that privately would have the desired effect. If every Western nation ALL gave the deadline privately I suspect the Russians would declare the sitatuation under control and pull back.