With the continuing Ukraine war Putin is weakening Russia. He is exposing the vulnerabilities of the Russian military apparatus. This will be costly for him and his country in the long run. With the anniversary of the war behind him and no tangible signs of victory being seen, Putin is indirectly building another power centre within the countries that can be seen to be under the influence of Russia. With the West led by the US arming Ukraine, the country will emerge as a rallying point for those countries that are inimical to Russia in their region. With glasnost having dismantled the old USSR the Ukraine war may be the next turning point for the demise of Russia as a world power. Cosmetic gestures like pulling out of the nuclear treaties by Russia are only seen as petulant and have no real meaning. In the eyes of the world Putin should realise that Russia has lost the Ukraine war, the faster he understands that it is good for him and the world.
