Putin is the direct result of US meddling in the USSR. He is the heir to Yeltsin, the CIAs guy in the USSR that forcefully brought it down agains the will of the USSR state apparatus and the people.

Putin was even super cosy to many western political figures, like the Clintons. He was seen as the good guy, privatising everything and allowing western companies to exploit Russian resources.

Russia even tried joining NATO multiple times, with good support from many western politicians.

That changed somewhere during the mid to late 2000s.

Now Russia and Putin are evil and want to destroy the US.

Dare I say this is all fucking theatrics? Not that Putin is still secretly friends with all his old western buddies. But he and Russia were just used as pawns at first, to help bring down the USSR and it’s remnants, and then as a boogeymen by the “west”. Like he was played hard. Not that he has much to complaint about, as he is a fucking billionaire.

And also a lesson. Never trust the US… Like Saddam thinking he was buddies with GWB and sending him letters after 9/11 saying “hey man we got this we’re gonna find the terrorists together!” then getting no response and getting invaded lmao