 As Putin flexes his might, its likely that an invasion won't return what he expects. | Russia's military buildup around Ukraine suggests Putin might, and could, order an invasion. Geopolitical forces may take heed of the wisdom imparted by Mike Tyson: "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."  |
 | Vladimir Putin, speaking in a CBS '60 Minutes' interview in 2015 refuted claims that he was a gangster. "How can I be a gangster if I worked for the KGB?" Putin said "Come on. That doesn't correspond to reality." Russia warned today it would take “retaliatory measures” if the U.S. and its allies reject its security demands over NATO and Ukraine. |  |
 | Putin is deploying an estimated 100k troops near Ukraine and launching warplanes, ships, and armour. Putin has demanded that NATO never admit Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations as members and that NATO will roll back troops in other former Soviet bloc nations. |  Those demands are seen as non starters, raising the prospect of war. |
 | Putin is a master of what he learned at the KGB. Manipulate. Lie. Repress. Putin's ability to act as a bridge between the worlds of politics, money, and criminality is unmatched. |  Putin is among the world's longest serving leaders and can rule until 2036. He will be aged 83 if he lasts that long.Putin's ascent began in the legal department of President Yeltsin. |
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He was appointed head of the FSB – the successor to the KGB. Putin turned the FSB into a mercenary for any gangster, criminal or corrupt businessman able to pay. He also became the primary source of information on Yeltsin opponents. Yeltsin rewarded Putin by making him prime minister in August 1999. Within a few months, Putin became acting president when Yeltsin resigned. Over the ensuing two decades, Putin has become a de facto monarch, with power rivaling any Tsar. He has established a support network of the richest capitalists who rely on him completely for their fortunes and status. |  |
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