Maybe Russia is sucking so so hard because they are trying to convince NATO they don't actually need to increase their defense budgets. Poland could march on Moscow at this point if Russia didn't have nukes. Russia will take many years to rebuild their officer corps and replenish equipment losses into anything that could remotely threaten a single NATO country let alone all of them.
As has been said, the worst thing to be is a bully who can't back it up.
Russia getting Finland and Sweden to join NATO and Germany to reorient away from Russian gas and reconsider nuclear power is a massive own goal for Russia. If Xi realizes what a drain Putin will be for him over the next few years, Russia will be well and truly boned. At that point just a matter of the right enterprising colonel coming along.
As has been said, the worst thing to be is a bully who can't back it up.
Russia getting Finland and Sweden to join NATO and Germany to reorient away from Russian gas and reconsider nuclear power is a massive own goal for Russia. If Xi realizes what a drain Putin will be for him over the next few years, Russia will be well and truly boned. At that point just a matter of the right enterprising colonel coming along.