We saw the real Putin for the first time at the Kursk submarine tragedy (August 2000) – cruel, callous, hard-hearted, vile, cynical, cowardly.
At that time he had barely gained power and was still too inexperienced and quite disoriented. A weak actor in a weak state with strong power and strong repressive structures.

Then Putin polished himself in power. There were still smart advisers by his side (one of them, Gleb Pavlovsky, died these days ... in a hospice).
Gradually, Putin learned to hide what he really was, however inextinguishable the predatory primal instincts of an chekist of the lowest value sample and the most indomitable malice towards normal people and states were inside him.
With his successive terms in office, his power became unlimited. His physical illness escalated, and his mental disability was left without restraints.
He drove away the talented people around him, and everyone else realized that the way to continue to be around him and become immensely rich through him is described by two golden rules:
1. Don't tell him bad news!
This golden rule inevitably degenerated into:
Don't tell him the Truth!
2. Tell him how great he is and how he will go down in history!
This golden rule inevitably degenerated into:
Don't tell him he might be wrong!
Anyone who got in Putin's way, disobeyed him, spoke against him or simply dared to annoy him was to be punished. To know that such behavior is categorically unacceptable.
And the most annoying ones were "ordered" (mainly to the Chechen death squad) for liquidation.
So, just as Putin deals personally with anyone who dares to annoy him, so he decided to deal with Ukraine as well. And he "ordered" Ukraine for liquidation.
In the War on Ukraine, we see again and for the last time the real Putin – cruel, callous, hard-hearted, vile, cynical, cowardly.
02/28/2023