“This isn’t what a rising super power looks like. Even before the war, Russia, with deaths far outstripping births, was net-losing one person every 30 seconds.”
Good. Then we won’t hear any more claims that Russia will attack the rest of Europe if they win in Ukraine. It can’t be both collapsing or a threat to conquer all of Europe.
Most likely, Russia is not collapsing anytime soon, but following more a path like a chronic and sometimes violent alcoholic.
That said, the primary long term threat aside from China is not Russia: It is a Europe that arms heavily in response to Russia, but fractures without the US riding herd on the whole mess. All while the world descends into further chaos.