OPINION: Russia - From Superpower to Lost in Space

Once upon a time, the world saw Russia as a bogeyman - a great power capable of shaking the world with a flick of its iron fist. Not anymore.

The war in Ukraine has exposed Russia's true nature, revealing it to be less of a fearsome bear and more of a toothless cat, standing helplessly in a corner, desperately trying to get out of a mess of its own making.

At the center of this tragicomic farce is none other than Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, a dictator who has spent more time engaging in foreign military (mis)adventures and threatening nuclear war than building a functioning state.

What the Kremlin once envisioned as a rapid, triumphant blitzkrieg during which “the second army in the world” would sweep away Ukraine’s inferior forces has, instead, turned into a vast and deep swamp that has exposed the Russian army as outdated, underprepared, and embarrassingly vulnerable.

What happened to all those grandiose parades that showcased elegant missiles and tanks? It turned out that they were just for show. Russia is like a man who brags about his Ferrari, only to discover later that it's just a cardboard cutout leaning on the front of his garage.

Consider, for example, the first days of the invasion. As the world held its breath, expecting Kyiv to fall within days, Ukrainian farmers dragged abandoned Russian tanks away like stray cattle. Via our televisions we were all treated to the sight of Russian recruits surrendering after being told they were going on a “military exercise.”

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The much vaunted Russian military machine, long feared as the leader in enforcing global authoritarianism, looked more like a Soviet-era relic held together by duct tape and false arrogance.

Then, of course, came the desperate call for reinforcements. Putin, in a moment of sheer panic, announced “partial mobilization,” pulling reluctant men off the streets and from their families to send them to the front lines, ill-prepared and ill-equipped.

Is there a better symbol of military weakness than forcing one's own citizens into a conflict that started for reasons they do not understand? It's almost as if Russia is slowly realizing that starting a war is easy but winning against a motivated and increasingly better armed opponent is a completely different story.

Ah, and here we come to Putin's favorite ace up his sleeve - his faithful, time-worn nuclear threat. Like a playground bully waving an imaginary weapon, Putin keeps hinting that he will push the big red button if his declared red lines are crossed.

At first, the world was rightly worried about a nuclear disaster. But as time passed, it became clear that these were just empty threats. Every time Putin rattles his nuclear sword, it becomes more and more obvious that he is bluffing.

The simple truth is this: If Putin was really serious about using nuclear weapons, he wouldn't be broadcasting it to the world every other week. This relentless demeanor seems more like desperation than a real threat. Like everyone else, he understands that using nuclear weapons could lead to the downfall of his regime, himself, and Russia. And maybe humanity itself.

Yet, he continues to try to scare the world with an empty gun, hoping we'll flinch. However, at this point, his threats became more tiresome than frightening. Like a B movie villain who never pulls the trigger, Putin's threats now elicit a collective yawn.

And then there's Sergei Lavrov, the ever-loyal, increasingly irrelevant sidekick. Lavrov, with the flair of a man who realized his best years were spent defending a sinking ship, recently signed an agreement with the global economic and military powerhouse that is Burkina Faso to ban the use of weapons in space. Yes, you heard that right - you could almost hear the sneers in the room as Lavrov signed his name to a document that no one, not even Burkina Faso, takes seriously.

Now, let's not be too harsh on Burkina Faso. It is a country facing serious internal challenges, but it is hardly in a position to contribute in any meaningful way to a space war. This is a nation with a smaller GDP than the average European city and an economy that depends on agriculture.

If Russia's most significant diplomatic victory this year is signing an agreement to ban space weapons with a country struggling to keep the lights on, that says a lot more about Moscow than Ouagadougou.

It's the diplomatic equivalent of showing up to a gunfight with a spoon and waving it triumphantly, as if you've brought the cavalry. That's what Russia's global influence has come down to - signing meaningless agreements with nations that have slightly more pressing problems than the threat of intergalactic warfare.

This, however, is the state of modern Russia. It is a hollow shell of its former self, desperately clinging to the few allies it has left - an exclusive club of dictatorships, rogue states, and strongmen with questionable fashion choices. While the West is rallying around the defense of Ukraine, Russia's dwindling ranks of supporters include beacons of democracy like North Korea, Belarus, and the occasional despot in Africa.

Even China, once seen as Russia's indispensable partner, has become noticeably lukewarm. Beijing seems content to watch from the sidelines, calculating how it can get the most out of Russia's self-inflicted decline without getting its hands dirty. It's a strategy best summed up as: "Thanks for the cheap oil, but no thanks for your war."

So, what is the overriding lesson here?

The West should take a serious look at the debacle unfolding in Ukraine and realize one thing: this is not the big, scary Russia we once imagined. Putin's empire is a shadow of what it pretends to be, and its threats are hollow. Yes, Russia still has nuclear weapons, but it is clear that Putin is using them as a shield to protect his failing regime, not as a weapon he is actually willing to use.

The West must stop fearing Russian anger and start thinking strategically. Ukraine has proven that it can counter Russian aggression - and win - if given the right tools. It's about time we gave them the rest of the tools it needs: long-range missiles, advanced air defenses, artillery ammunition, whatever it takes to tip the scales decisively in Ukraine's favor. Let them hit military targets on Russian soil; let them expose the full extent of Moscow's weakness for the world to see.

In doing so, we will not only help Ukraine secure its sovereignty, but we will also help the Russian people. Every day that Putin remains in power, he drags Russia further into the mire of corruption, isolation, and repression. The fall of this regime is inevitable; it’s better it happens as soon as possible, while there is still some chance of recovery for the Russians.

It is time for the West to stop being intimidated by Russian noise and start acting with the resolve that this moment demands. After all, the cat has no teeth, and the gun in Putin's hand is empty. The Russian prisoners, of whom the Ukrainian battlefields are full, know best what a cat without teeth could be useful for.

The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.