Just watched 2007 Documentary "1983 Soviet Nuclear Scare" - another propaganda BS about bad paranoid Soviets and great Western... In short they describe Soviet preparation to nuclear counter strike in replay to NATO exercise when NATO simulate nuclear strike toward Soviet. Of course Soviet treat that seriously, it is really hard to call it paranoia this is what defense forces suppose to do this is what they are for after all.

This documentary did not tell full story, of course, otherwise whole point of that movie would be different. Reason for that reaction from Soviet was new missiles US deployed in Europe at that time period - "Pershing" which were capable of reaching Moscow in few minutes. Like they just little bit upgrade old outdated missiles and put gun right into Soviet leadership face - no biggie. So under this condition European nuclear exercise which includes all preparations, issuing targeting programs and launch codes for Pershing to strike, must be watched carefully, it is not like before when in Europe there were only short distance missiles, now in five minutes after launch US/NATO nukes will be vaporizing Moscow. But this part was not really exposed in this movie...

Anyway, with all this mantras about Soviet Paranoia etc, this documentary pretty well and detailed shows perfectly performing Soviet defense machine - from the point of intercepting all NATO communications giving full picture of what is going on in there command bunkers, to deploying massive force such way nobody in the West even suspect anything. All missiles, submarines, bombers even tank armies on the German border were ready waiting for final command.

This is from one side and from another Westerners looks like complete retards. They learn about Soviet being few seconds from unleash full scale nuclear attack on them only long after. Having hint from Gordievsky first and then understand full scale of what happened only in few years. To me this is what West should be ashamed of. They try to present Soviets as paranoid but what about NATO and US - they were not paranoid, all right,  but on my Russian opinion they were insane arrogant, reckless and defenseless!

I was really pleased to see in the final of this movie Ronald Reagan being in Moscow saying that he do not think that Russia is Evil Empire any more. Somehow many now totally forgot that. I perfectly remember those times when everybody were very excited about having old enemies as a new friends or more like having old friends back after some misunderstanding... Because most population was really friendly towards Americans - fighting shoulder to shoulder and other help during WWII means a lot for Russians even when it happened while ago and this is much deeper in the mentality then communist propaganda can reach. Then after Reagan and Bush, Clinton somehow declare victory in Cold War and enlist Russian as third World country somewhere after Turkish in line for his attention... etc... etc... etc...

Russian realized that there is no friends in the World but only players and so start playing on they own. Of course nobody like appearance of new strong player - especially Brits. Russian Oil and Gas from Siberia much more competitive then whatever British companies deliver to Europe from depth of North Sea. And we have good old Red Scare and Propaganda War back almost in same scale. Even Russia is not a Soviet Union for over twenty years and no commies in charge (unlike in China).

Fortunately it is only Brits who now have strong business interests in demonizing Russian (they has nothing else to offer, their production without almost free colonial resources broke - only oil and gas from North Sea left so far) - German, Italian, French seems to appreciate doing business with Russia, but the are not so loud as Brits... I just only do not understand why US somehow tends to follow Brits lead here? Is it to hard to snap out of Cold War old dreams? US and Russia has so much to offer each other, but seems like Sputnik Scare generation here just can not forget their childhood nightmares so they drag everything back to what they get used to...

What is most funny - with all this noise Brits make against Russian "Evil Empire", this did not prevent their oil companies like BP or Shell to sign agreements on exploiting Russian shelf oil and gas deposits... Before Americans even think about that - they seems to be under carefully mastered impression that Russia is same Evil Empire as USSR. Brits are masters of manipulation. This is how they build their Empire before, not by military might they never had, but by leading other against their enemies. It was Canadians after all who burn Washington to the ground lead by British.