Replies

...this is an epic disaster for Russia in the long term....

“How so?”

Russia’s naked aggression, annexation and provocation, threatening invasion, is pushing former Warsaw Pact countries closer and closer to the West and NATO orbit.

“This is pushing Russia and China closer together”

They, despite some border differences have always been communist/totalitarian to the core and aligned. It’s no big deal. China really can’t strike out. Russia is limited to striking the weak nations that haven’t aligned with NATO.

“while the west is in a visible decline.”

There is a critical qualifier you left out. “Relative decline”. Both militarily and economically, the US and NATO are light years ahead of both Russia and China. China, due to its immense population is growing but has huge systemic deficiencies for the future.