The reason the USSR military officers failed to act in a number of these close calls is much more pragmatic: they all knew what will follow — the inevitable mil

The reason the USSR military officers failed to act in a number of these close calls is much more pragmatic: they all knew what will follow — the inevitable military defeat of USSR, and a reprimand for Union's officer staff invariably of whether they were with hawks, or doves faction in the military. This is what they don't talk about. I want to remind that back in cold war days, the no. 2 source of Union's defectors was the army, (the no. 1 was KGB, and the 3rd was the diplomatic service.) Basically, all the best informed, and having the most of contact with the outside world people. From their time on port calls in the West, they knew very well that if the whole free world will stand against them, they had zero chances.