Zelenksly cancelled elections a few years ago, forbid all media except that which supports him, and all political parties except the one that supports him.
I don’t think Putin is in love with genocide at all. His invasion of Ukraine was 100% justified, and the bleeping war would have been over years ago had Congressmaggots not voted to send billions of US dollars to Ukraine lo these many years.
IMO Putin has evolved. Perhaps the EU's commitment to the war, perhaps a personality clash with Zelensky, perhaps both. I thought human distaste for murderous conflict would lead to a fairly fast resolution in Ukraine. Now both sides are attacking each other's homeland - and seemingly enjoying it.
And I can't help but suspect that the EU finds that situation 'ideal.' Russia can sustain a protracted war; Ukraine can not, not without outside help. The EU, along with the Biden Admin greedy war mongers, provided that outside help. Now the theater setting has evolved.
Presently there is no end in sight in that war. Perhaps some unexpected factor will intercede and change the present 'killing fields.' 🤷