Were there any other approaches that Russia could have taken to prevent Ukraine from becoming part of NATO?

No doubt, Russia considered that it would have been national suicide to simply observe things while that happens.

It would have been on a similar scale to something like Mexico making a formal military alliance with China.

That would have been followed by China building naval bases, air bases, and missile bases strategically all over Mexico.

Then positioning their most sophisticated monitoring stations along the US border, as well as numerous bio labs.

In steps, troops would be brought in, at various locations, eventually swelling to beyond tens of thousands.

There is no way that NATO wouldn't have begun doing all the same in Ukraine, once the country became a member.

Covert variants of some of these things were happening, anyway, even though Ukraine was not yet a NATO member.

So, what other approach could Russia have used to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO?

If their ambassador to the UN had made pleas in the security council, or the general assembly, would that have been effective?

No way at all - that would have fallen completely on deaf ears, even if Russia had lodged a formal complaint.

Or could Russian diplomats have visited the various European capitals, as well as Washington, to make their case?

No, those European nations, and the previous US administration, so desperately wanted Ukraine to become a member.

Possibly hoping that during all the powerless diplomacy, it would quietly happen, in the background.

Then they could begin moving things into Ukraine, similar to the afore mentioned scenario of China in Mexico.

Knowing, also, that any resistance at that point would trigger article 5, after they positioned themselves strategically in Ukraine.

Yes, Russia attacked Ukraine, and many people were sadly killed.

However, western media has continuously portrayed this as simply Russian expansionist dreams playing out.

Yet, if that truly was their goal, wouldn't they have waged their warfare totally differently.

They could have taken out all the country's infrastructures at one time: completely stopping electricity, transportation, water and food distribution.

They could have instantly hit all military and aviation locations, and full blows to each major city.

They could have accomplished much of that even before moving in troops.

So, could Russia have prevented Ukraine from joining NATO, without totally destroying the country?

In some sense they have done that, possibly in their mind, as the least painful of ways to prevent it.

Perhaps there might have been another way, but I have not heard or read any other proposed methods, by the media or politicians, which Russia could have used.

Maybe because most of them, very much, desire the other outcome, that Ukraine become a member of NATO.

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