Yeah now I remember. I have always thought that Putin was embarrassed by the fall of Communism in '89, and is trying to reinstall national pride by forcing an imperial agenda one tiny piece at a time.
Still, I just don't see him having any responsibility in this, as this is a PR nightmare to be certain, and he would know it. Planned, but wrong target?????? Hmmmmm......
I think you've gotten means and ends confused. Like the Romanovs and the Bolsheviks before him, Putin wants to conquer the world. His means for doing so is by reviving Russian national pride.
Now reporting malaysian aircraft was shot down by Ukraine SU fighter jet.....nothing confirmed yet...many varied responses from all parties.
I don't think anyone thinks Putin is directly responsible, in the sense that he gave the order to shoot down the plane (assuming it was a SAM). Indirectly responsible, maybe, in the sense that he's arming a bunch of hotheads down there.
But even then, we can't jump to conclusions just yet until we figure out who shot down the plane, or if it was even shot down in the first place.