[dfxm12]

If Putin had simply waited, ... he could have probably eliminated NATO as a "threat" to Russia within a decade.

At 70, I wonder if Putin thinks he doesn't have a decade to wait.

[spamizbad]

He was 62 when he drew up plans to invade Ukraine in 2014. But neither of those actions in 2014 and 2022 really work towards the goal of protection against a NATO threat. It's clear he had other motivations.

[MrMan]

if I were him I would see Europe as a very easy-to-manage relationship unless "viral democracy" is somehow a real threat, which I dont really believe. China is a real threat to Russia, and it seems that Putin has decided to become a supplicant to China by buying into their Us vs the West paranoia (which I also dont quite believe literally, I feel it is a rhetorical device to increase nationalism in China to keep people bonded together. )

[CapricornNoble]

Rumor mill is that he travels with a cancer doctor, and that he's dying of cancer.

[kingcharles]

Wasn't there some leaked medical records recently saying he has cancer?