Putin has had visions of reuniting the USSR since the downfall. Biden, with the Afghan withdrawal, gave him what he thinks is his opportunity.
“ Putin has had visions of reuniting the USSR since the downfall.”
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Nope, he didn’t particularly like or agree with the Communists (though like many, he joined the Party and got a good job working for them because it was literally the only game in town). He is, though, a Russian nationalist - so reassembling the pre-WW1 Russian Empire’s lands is probably more likely.
FYI, my paternal grandfather was born in what is now the city of Dnipro in Ukraine, around 1900. Never once did he ever refer to himself or his family as Ukrainian (and we’re Jewish, so he had little love for Russians). There essentially was no separate Ukrainian identity 100+ years ago…and that’s where Putin is going.
I really think that the Afghan withdrawal disaster, led by Biden, payed a huge role in Putin being this aggressive. Putin is a evil man, but a very smart and saw his chance.