Understand The Times, International

Comment from UTT:

Will mainline political leaders verify this headline? If the middle-east situation is this serious, then maybe the President of the USA should make an announcement. Is this the cold war or the real thing?

October 6 - Russian state newspapers predict �direct military conflict� with U.S. involving a nuclear standoff

World War 3 fears have been voiced by Russian newspapers over the growing tensions between the USA and Syria. Tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets predicts a �direct military confrontation� on par with the Cuban Missile Crisis. The United States suspended contact with Russia over Syria on Monday. Secretary of State John Kerry has been enraged by airstrikes on rebel-controlled areas of Aleppo. Hundreds of innocents are believed to have been killed in the attacks. BBC Russia correspondent Steve Rosenberg referred to two Russian newspapers taking an aggressive tone towards the US.

Moskovsky Komsomolets adds that even its country�s own fighters would not be confident in a war with the US. �According to our fighter pilots, the best we could do is shoot down a few coalition forces but this would mean a full-scale war,� it added. Veteran broadcaster Vladimir Pozner told the BBC: �There�s a real feeling now that America is out to prove it is the only superpower. The continued expansion of NATO is seen by the Russian leadership, perhaps incorrectly, is seen as being a real threat. There is a danger of real confrontation, perhaps leading to some kind of military engagement and war.�

It has previously been reported that Putin is preparing for war with the West. Russia is already staging a massive evacuation drill to prepare for nuclear war. More than 200,000 emergency services personnel and soldiers will use 50,000 pieces of equipment during the civil defense exercise.