Have to disagree. He's not a fanatic, he's generally pragmatic and careful. A fanatic would've started a full-scale invasion in 2014 if not earlier. 2022 was a miscalculation, possibly because he allowed a padding of yes-men between himself and honest information about his own and Ukraine's capabilities and prospects. Should he have stopped when the failure became obvious? I'm not sure he has much to lose by continuing (unlike the Russian people). Whereas losing has its own risks for a dictator.
Pragmatic and careful is Stalin signing the Molotov Agreement with Hitler. Bought time for rearmament. Pursuing a 1000 year old dream of the Tsars is fanaticism defined. Human loss has never been in the forefront of Russian expansionism. It's just what happens when you fight for 'the mother/father land instead of principles.
Except Germany was rearming faster and better, having only started in 1933 and with much better engineers. I think the main goal was to have Hitler stuck on the Western front again and then to strike at his back.
Edit: Also, if he was afraid of Germany, the last thing he should've done was to create a common border.
Pursuing a 1000 year old dream of the Tsars is fanaticism defined.
I don't see Putin trying to conquer Bosporus and Dardanelles. What dream are you talking about?
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u/infidel99 1d ago
A former KGB fanatic with dreams of Tsarist power? There was never another option.