The most important thing to understand about the recent history of Russian aggression against its neighbors, and especially against Ukraine, is that Putin is not a product of “Russia” or even of Russian nationalism. He is, in every way, a son of the Soviet Union.
https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2025/02/trump-putin-ukraine-conflict-history/681743/?gift=otEsSHbRYKNfFYMngVFweFr97Dnsiqw1q4J7dtHpokA