>Well, that’s a different take. Poor Putin - just a 97 pound weakling sitting on the beach minding his own business and along comes the mean, tough USA who knocked Putin’s umbrella down and kicked him off the beach. Is that the story that Putin’s telling the Russian people?
Obama overthrew the elected Ukrainian government and tried to seize the Crimea. Putin grabbed it first and then protected the Russians in the east of the country. For those sins Obama tried to wreck the Russian economy.
Yeah, I get your explanation. The problems in the Russian economy are not due to Putin's incompetence; Russia's economic problems are being caused by that mean, tough Obama who is kicking poor Putin and his economy around like a soccer ball.
I don't think Putin would like that explanation. Remember, he's the guy who is always trying to cast himself as the tough guy, the rugged guy who takes off his shirt and wrestles with wild animals. You may be right about Putin, but he's not going to like your explanation.
I think Putin would rather be remembered as incompetent than be remembered as the weakling that you're describing.