Putin and the myths of Western decadence

VLADIMIR Putin's invasion of Ukraine was, first and foremost, a crime - indeed, the war crimes continue as you read this.

But it was also a blunder. In less than five weeks, he has destroyed Russia's military reputation, battered his nation's economy and strengthened the democratic alliances he hoped to undermine. How could he have made such a catastrophic mistake?

Part of the answer, surely, is the strongman syndrome: Putin has surrounded himself with people who tell him what he wants to hear. All indications are that he went into this debacle believing his own propaganda about both his army's martial prowess and the eagerness of Ukrainians to submit to Russian rule.