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"Thank goodness, we should definitely celebrate the Smerch self-propelled rocket launcher's 270 shots and zero hit rate," Mavi said with a sarcastic, very Russian-style quip. He was slowly growing into his new identity, feeling like a part of the fighting nation.
Self-propelled rocket launchers just can't compare to ballistic missiles. A self-propelled rocket launcher is more cost-effective within a range of 120 kilometers. But beyond that—at 300, 600, or 800 kilometers—they're basically just huge fireworks. They can't hit a target.
That's why the Americans, and even the Russians in the previous timeline, didn't bother focusing on self-propelled rocket launchers. A weapon that can't hit its target is useless to them.
But they overlooked one thing: self-propelled rocket launchers with a range of over 280 kilometers are very popular with small and medium-sized countries. As an exportable weapon, they're the perfect choice.
Why are they so popular? Because under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), ballistic missiles with a range of over 300 kilometers are not allowed to be sold. This restriction made self-propelled rocket launchers with a range of over 280 kilometers a popular tool for military deterrence among small and medium-sized nations.
The purpose is to tell neighboring countries, "I have these long-range rocket launchers that fly all over the place when I launch them. I don't know where they'll land, but what you need to know is that they will definitely land in your country.
So, you'd better think twice before you provoke me. Otherwise, we'll all go down together in a mutual destruction kind of way..."
That's the power of long-range self-propelled rocket launchers. Today's test will likely attract a lot of attention from small and medium-sized countries, and military representatives will surely visit Russia to place orders for these unconventional long-range rockets.
"Mr. Mavi, I bet NATO and the EU are going to protest the rockets Russia developed," the Army Major General told Mavi with a smile.
They were skirting the edges of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The key was that NATO and the EU had no idea Russia had launched rockets. They all mistakenly believed they were short-range missiles with a range of over 500 kilometers, which would be a serious violation of the treaty.
"There's no point in protesting. We're just following the contract. If I'm not mistaken, they should be..." As the saying goes, "when soldiers come, a general will resist; when floods come, an embankment will stop it." The sky isn't falling, and if it does, someone else will hold it up. It's not Mavi's problem; it all depends on what NATO and the EU do.
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That evening, countries in the EU like France, Germany, and the UK collectively filed a strong protest against Russia for secretly possessing short-range missiles with a range of over 500 kilometers. This was a clear violation of the INF Treaty. Even some countries in the UN were against Russia's actions, as it caused instability in the global order.
Two days later, the UN Security Council announced it would hold an emergency meeting within 24 hours to discuss how to handle Russia's violation. This was a UN General Assembly emergency special session.
When there's a threat to or a breach of peace, or an act of aggression, an emergency special session is convened within 24 hours after the Secretary-General receives a request from the Security Council with the consent of any nine members, or after being notified that the majority of UN members agree to convene. A resolution can be adopted that calls on member countries to take collective action.
Basically, all countries must be in agreement. If a country acts foolishly, all other member nations will unite to exclude it. At that point, the country would not only be hit with economic sanctions, but also face significant military and political pressure.
As soon as the UN Security Council announced the emergency meeting, Mavi received a call from the Kremlin. "Hello, Mavi. The president asked me to see if you would be willing to represent Russia at the UN emergency meeting?"
The person on the phone was an aide to the Russian president. The UN meeting wasn't like a G8 summit where heads of state were required to attend. They just needed to send a representative. But that representative couldn't be just anyone; they had to be a person of considerable social influence.
And Mavi was the perfect person for the job. After all, the recent conflict between the Russian Navy and the Korean-French navies, as well as the development of the long-range self-propelled rocket launcher, were all indirectly related to Mavi. So it was understandable that the Kremlin wanted him to attend the emergency meeting.
"A UN meeting?" Mavi asked, stunned. He had thought about the possibility of one day being at the UN, but he never expected it to happen so soon. The most important thing was that this meeting was a well-known "condemnation" of Russia. Whoever represented Russia would become a target.
"Yes, Mr. Mavi. If you agree to go, you'll need to leave right away, because the emergency meeting will be held at UN headquarters in 24 hours," the Russian presidential aide urged over the phone.
The UN headquarters is in New York. The land the building sits on doesn't belong to the US or any other country; it's the only "international territory" in the world.
"Alright, I'll go." Considering how closely the recent events were related to him, if he refused the Kremlin's invitation, he wouldn't be a man who takes responsibility for his actions. So Mavi accepted the offer right away.
"Then, Mr. Mavi, good luck! The staff who will accompany you will meet you at the airport," the aide said, wishing him well.
The staff he was referring to were the advisors who were familiar with UN meeting procedures. Since this was Mavi's first time attending, any procedural mistake would be disastrous and incredibly embarrassing.
An hour later, at the Moscow International Airport, Mavi met the person the Kremlin had arranged to travel with him: the Secretary to the Minister of Defense, Yuna. She would be accompanying him to New York.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Mavi. We meet again," Yuna said, wearing a smart and elegant black suit.
"Hello, Ms. Yuna," Mavi replied. He and the Defense Minister's secretary then boarded the plane to attend the UN emergency meeting.