Correction, I said Putin's SMO "may have prevented WWIII".

I make this case by saying that, by pre-empting Ukraine's entry into NATO, Putin averted what could have been a disastrous conflict between NATO and Russia.

I gleaned this thesis from many sources, including an article in The Guardian by fellowTed Galen Carpenter, a senior fellow in defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute.

I also took this idea from people like George F. Kennan, and even Henry Kissinger.

You will forgive me if I value their opinions in such matters over your own.