Fullofbias

As expected, Ukraine has revoked its non-aligned status, pathing way for potential NATO membership. Adopted by the Ukrainian parliament today, this decision comes right after the presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan travelled to Kiev in what looked like a synchronised show of disobedience to the Kremlin.

In losing friends and spheres of influence, Putin is simply genius. Not only has he lost Ukraine, but even fellow dictators, who have joined his Customs Union. are hinting they might ditch him. None of this would have happened, had Russia not invaded Ukraine in March this year. Before the crisis, the majority of Ukrainians was against NATO membership, while both Lukashenko and Nazarbayev felt safer staying in Russia’s shade than being exposed to the Western pressure over their human rights record and treatment of the opposition.

By all means, Putin appears to be a loser. But on the other hand, it might also be the desired result – at least subcosiously. The ring of hostility permanently closing on Moscow is the regime’s raison d’être. By losing allies and territories, the regime proves to its people that they are under siege and in danger, so they should forget grievances and unite around the leader.

The Russian imperial star went through its final red giant stage under the Bolsheviks and turned into a black hole that is swallowing itself and all the matter around it, like black holes normally do. Putin is a suitable person to preside over a lump of self-destroying dark matter.