World War III

"The Russians ain't gonna let this massacre go unanswered. It's gonna get bloody."

- Ghost

The Russo-American War is a fictional ongoing conflict between Ultranationalist Russia and the United States of America, being supported by the United Kingdom. This conflict began when Russian forces invaded the United States after the latter are implicated in the Massacre at Zakhaev International Airport in Moscow. The United States were initially caught off guard by the attack, but were able to hold several key positions.

Massacre at Zakhaev International Airport -- Day 3, 2016
Vladimir Makarov, a known terrorist since 2002 and Russian Ultranationalist, personally lead the attack at Zakhaev International Airport. Makarov, Alexei Borodin (who is actually PFC Joseph Allen, a U.S. Army Ranger chosen to participate in a C.I.A. deep cover mission by General Shepherd) and 3 other Ultranationalists (known only as Lev, Kiril, and Viktor) assault Zakhaev International Airport and massacre both civilians and Russian airport security guards, as well as the FSB Rapid Reaction Force. Makarov, tipped off to the true identity of Borodin, killed him and left his body behind in order to give the appearance that the operation was planned and carried out by elements of the United States Military. The Russian government, upon seeing the use of American made weapons (such as the M240 and M4A1), English speaking shooters (Makarov instructed the terrorists to speak "No Russian"), and the body of American Joseph Allen, believe that the terrorist act was supported, armed, and carried out with the approval of the United States Government. The President of the Russian Federation Boris Vorshevsky claimed that those who committed the attack would be held responsible.

Surprise Attack on the East Coast of the United States -- Day 4, 2016
Following the assault at Zakhaev International Airport, Russia launches a surprise attack on the eastern seaboard of the United States. Russian aircraft were able to penetrate American radar defenses because Russian forces had managed to crack an ACS module from a downed American spy satellite. Upon duplicating the module, they were able to hack the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) system to give the illusion that an attack was happening in Alaska and California, while concealing the real attack against the East Coast. During the initial stages of the attack, Russian aircraft managed to drop many paratroopers and significant ground support in the form of tanks and BTRs. The 1st Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment, the closest regiment at the time to Washington D.C., heads to secure a crashed High-Value Individual codenamed Raptor. The squad encountered heavy resistance including BTR-80's, Mi-28 Havocs and many Russian troops. The Rangers were able to extract Raptor and inflict heavy casualties on the Russian attackers in the process.

Most targets by the invading Russian Forces included other East Coast cities such as Jacksonville, Florida and New York City. Some areas and buildings on the East Coast that were attacked by the Russians included the C.I.A. Headquarters, Camp David, and the Pentagon. It is possible that certain areas on the West coast were also attacked.

Following the extraction of Raptor, the Rangers continue to push through Northern Virginia en route to Washington D.C. Heavy fighting ensued in a community named Arcadia, where the Rangers, along with a Stryker ICV (callsign: Honey Badger) buy valuable time for any remaining civilians to evacuate. The Rangers were also tasked with extracting a High Value Individual from a house on Brookmere Road. The HVI (High Value Individual) was found to be dead upon their arrival, apparently killed by Russian Army forces.

The Battle of Washington, D.C. -- Day 5, 2016
The massive Russian military force managed take control of the city, bombing many monuments and setting up firing positions in government buildings as well as seizing control of the White House. U.S. forces in the capital then proceeded to evacuate every civilian they can from the Russians at the Washington Monument, as well as at sites along the Potomac River. However, numerous Russian soldiers and vehicles delayed their evacuation. Sgt. Foley and his squadmates enter the Department of Commerce and provide sniper support for the Monument evac site. Private James Ramirez, using an M82 50. Caliber Sniper Rifle with a Thermal scope, assisted the evacuation by sniping Russians armed with Javelin missile launchers, before proceeding to eliminate the enemy artillery and helicopters with the enemy munitions. The Ranger team is evacuated by a Navy SEAL team with Black Hawk helicopters in assistance, the SEAL's Black Hawk is shot down by heavy Russian army presence at the World War II Memorial. The Ranger helicopter takes a hit (courtesy of the SAM sites on the top of the Department of Justice building) and crashes just southwest of the White House.

The Russian forces had also commenced attacks on other strategic buildings near the U.S Capital, and in the neighboring states of Maryland, and Virginia. These targets included the massive devastation of the Pentagon, an attack on Camp David, and the devastation of the C.I.A Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. (Other than being vital to US Intelligence, the attack on the CIA Headquarters may be seen as revenge for the massacre at Zakhaev International Airport as the Russians believed it was a CIA-backed Terrorist Attack.)

Nuclear Detonation: American Victory
At the same time as the squad's helicopter crashed, Task Force 141 operators assaulted a Russian submarine base with the intent of destroying a nuclear submarine. Captain John Price, however, commandeers the sub and launches a nuclear missile. Price intended to detonate the missile in orbit, creating a desperately needed EMP over the entire Eastern seaboard of the United States - disabling all electronics. At the crash site, Pvt. Ramirez, Cpl. Dunn, and Sgt. Foley are fighting against Russian ground forces who outnumber them heavily. Meanwhile, in orbit, an astronaut, referred to as 'Sat1', stationed in the International Space Station, observes a fast-moving object in the sky. As both Houston control and the ISS try to figure out what the bogey is, the missile explodes, creating the EMP. The explosion also creates a shockwave in orbit which destroys the ISS. On the ground, as the situation for the American forces looks hopeless, the pulse reaches the ground disabling all Russian air support and ground vehicles. Now with their advantage removed, the Russian forces begin losing territory. At the same time, the Russian forces closing in on the crashed helicopter are thrown into disarray when their own fighter planes and attack choppers begin falling to the ground, an intended result of the EMP. In the ensuing chaos Foley's squad is able to escape and they soon learn that Colonel Marshall is assembling a task force at the Whiskey Hotel, intended to re-capture the White House.

The team joins the other American soldiers and together they fight their way to the White House. During the assault an emergency broadcast is heard declaring that Washington DC is to be assumed lost to the Russians and that the United States Air Force is commencing a carpet bomb run of the city. Hearing this message, the team desperately fight their way to the roof of the White House and deploy green flares to indicate the White House has been retaken and that Americans have regained control of the city. Corporal Dunn claims that he would like to burn Moscow down to the ground after the devastation in Washington, foreshadowing a possible counter-attack by the Americans on Russian soil.

Despite the Americans holding many buildings throughout Washington, the actual results of the battle are not known, as there were engagements at the Capitol Building as well as elsewhere in the city. The Russian forces are unlikely to have been defeated in DC but have certainly been weakened. Elsewhere on the Coasts and possibly Alaska, it can also be assumed that the war continues, on a smaller scale. Both Russians and Americans lost their electronics and vehicles in the blast, leaving them even on the ground, though the Americans have the home-field advantage, they don't need radio equipment to communicate, and the Russians seem to be very disorganized, seeing as they relied on their radio equipment.

Aftermath
Most of Washington, D.C. is retaken. Though nothing has been confirmed regarding the aftermath of the attack on the capital, it can be speculated from dialogue at the end of "Whiskey Hotel" that there will be an American counterattack. It is unknown which nations will ally with Russia or the United States, if and when a counterattack should occur. It could be reasonably speculated that US forces will have retaken most of the east coast by the end of Day 7, probably amidst a Russian retreat. But it is possible that the Russians were pushed back and might attack again.

With most of their strategic military centers such as the Pentagon, and CIA Headquarters devastated during the attack, it may be possible that US Commanders will still reestablish their base of operations in the Capital, or in other bases across the country. As the US Secretary of Defense had established his base in the Headquarters of the American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in Colorado.

Regardless of the Initial invasion by Russia, there were mixed responses by other nations. During the invasion of Northeastern Virginia, the Brazilian Government refused to allow US reinforcements to fly through their airspace as a shortcut back to the Mainland. Another response came from the United Nations as they had condemned the brutal massacre that had taken place at the Zakhaev International Airport. It is implied that the United States' allies including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand had declared their support for the US against the Russian Federation. Other nations such as China, or Japan have not voiced their responses to the Invasion. However it may be implied that Japan and South Korea (both strong allies of the United States) would come to the defense of US Forces in the Pacific (American F-15s were alowed to take off from bases in Japan).

It should also be noted that NATO may have enacted the collective defense agreement in the NATO Charter as they did following the September 11th Attacks, and may be possible that NATO will probably assist in the defense of the United States, and in the eventual counterattack against Russia.

However, the Russian government said that it will repel any invasion attempt by the US and its allies.

It is unknown as to how the US Military will respond, or be commanded, as the United States is still unaware of the death of General Shepherd at the end of the events of "Endgame". Possibly a new U.S Supreme Commander will be named during or before the counterattack.

Other Fronts
Even though there was an actual invasion on the US East Coast, it may be possible that the Russians may not have invaded the West Coast, or at least may have met resistance. In the moments leading up to the surprise invasion, the American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) had been running diagnostics to check for an ACS malfunction. The stations Sand Bravo (Nome AFB), and Zulu X-Ray 6 (Vandenberg AFB) reported no signs of Russian Forces of any type in their sectors. If the Russians attempted to fly in forces against Alaska, US Forces stationed in Japan, or South Korea would have been able to detect their presence and warn US Command in advance. And if Russian Forces had attempted to fly in forces onto the West Coast, the US Advanced Radar Stations on the Hawaiian Islands would have been able to detect and alert US Command as well. However no contact has been made with the West Coast since the Invasion began, and can be assumed that they are either left untouched, or are under attack by Russian Forces.

Notable military operations

 * Russian invasion of Virginia
 * Capture of the Vikhorevka 36 Oil Platform, Bering Strait
 * Rescue of Prisoner #627
 * Beginning of the Battle of Washington, D.C.
 * Operation: Contingency
 * Attempted capture of Makarov
 * Beginning of Shepherd's War
 * Assault on Site Hotel Bravo