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The Doomsday Watch podcast, Putin episode gives a good insight.
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You can't be a true super power without a warm sea port.
Russia don't have one & so are constantly trying to creep their way around the black sea - they can't let Turkey hold the keys to warm water so need to get direct access to the med.
sacredhart
Lw.
@ffm
I really struggle to understand the mindset of the Russian leadership outside of a frame of reference of hankering after the glory days of the USSR and a personal, kleptocratic, oligarchic power grab. I think that's partly down to my failure to understand what the practical consequences for a country of (for example) the extent of its "sphere of influence" has. Given how much gas we buy from Russia it seems completely irrational to think that nobody wants to trade with them, so why imperil that trade through acting like a violent, bullying psychopath? Likewise, anyone who thinks NATO would ever seriously consider launching a land-assault via Ukraine must be assuming that western leaders have never read a single history book. There's every opportunity for Russia to evolve into a modern, trade-forward part of the international community that has access to both China and the EU, so why continue to isolate themselves diplomatically? The only explanation I can come up with is rank nationalism and gangsterism.