I just look at this as a Cuban Missile crisis in reverse. NATO is building up forces in the NATO countries that were former Iron Curtain countries. Vlad has every right to be concerned about that. Going after Russia seemed to start during the Obama administration and it has continued with his third term in office with Joe Biden doing his bidding.
Washington grew “arrogant and self-confident” after the collapse of the Soviet Union, leading to the expansion of the Nato military alliance.
I think the deep state was anticipating this and it going to use it to advance its agenda.