Free Republic

When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, in which Crimea was annexed, his popularity ratings soared in Russia. ... It hasn’t taken long for ordinary Russians to feel the pain of sanctions and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The ruble has again plummeted against the dollar, prompting Russia’s central bank to raise interest rates to 20% on Monday, from 9.5%. The move prompted desperate Russians to queue at banks and ATMs in a bid to withdraw their money in haste.

The White House and other observers are increasingly sounding the alarm about the mindset of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who seems poised to escalate his country’s war with Ukraine. Experts, analysts, lawmakers and even administration officials have speculated that Putin’s isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic has raised his paranoia. They’ve pointed to decisions he’s made such as the invasion itself and his move on Sunday to put his nuclear forces on alert in suggesting he is not making rational decisions.