How a Russia vs. NATO war would really go down

Russia could 'steamroll' NATO in the Baltic? Not so fast.

Who would come out on top in a battle of NATO vs. Russia?
(Image credit: REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko)

Last week saw a flurry of news reports that Putin's Russia could "steamroll" NATO forces in just five days, winning a quick victory in the Baltics that would drag Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania — and perhaps even Poland — kicking and screaming behind a new Iron Curtain.

Is it really possible that Russia, a shadow of the former Soviet Union, could accomplish this? As always, the truth is more complicated.

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Kyle Mizokami is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Daily Beast, TheAtlantic.com, The Diplomat, and The National Interest. He lives in San Francisco.