And we should not forget the Second Chechen War, which elevated Putin to the top of Russia’s political Olympus.
We shouldn’t forget the blown up houses in Moscow and other cities, the horrific terrorist attacks on civilians and war crimes. The system of permanent war has always been the system of Putin's power.
Like Leon Trotsky 100 years ago, who sought a world revolution, Putin needs world disorder, and war is the most convenient tool for that. Putin came to power through a catastrophe - the collapse of the USSR; now he needs more and more catastrophes to maintain that power. The main problem is that this long and terrifying road has no end in sight.