Originally Posted by Sini
Last but not least, what is the off-ramp for Putin? He must realize that his regime is now in danger, as failure of this magnitude will result in internal challenges to his rule.

The problem with someone like Putin, is that after letting his regime become so corrupt there isn't much of an offramp because as you noted failures of this magnitude wont be recieved well internally.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if some of the incompetence displayed wasn't intentional, maybe not open rebellion but passive agressive. "Oh, you wanted 10 million gallons of diesel ready not just a million? Sorry, not sure how that zero got chopped off the manifest, I didn't look too hard because I was told we were just doing exercises in Belarus and we only needed a million for that. " type of thing.

For who could be free when every other man's humour might domineer over him? - John Locke (2nd Treatise, sect 57)