Re: Two steps forward...
What has changed to make the outcome different?
I guess they are no longer interested in winning an all-out confrontation with the rest of the world - only in making the cost of a direct military intervention suicidal for an invader (or as a matter of fact, for both participating sides and most of the innocent bystanders). This, of course, requires a credible strike-back capability.
It may, of course, bankrupt them again. On the other hand, Russian national debt is less than US$1K per capita (just about), or a bit under 15% of GDP. The corresponding figure for US is over $59K per capita (106% GDP). UK is over US$35K per capita (83% GDP), and Canada is around $22K per capita (56% GDP; however, neither figure includes provincial debt - which would add about as much again).
At the same time, Russia spends about 4.1 to 5.4% GDP on its military. US is at 3.3 to 3.9%, not that much lower per capita cost despite its much bigger economy. UK and Canada are actually at a much more sensible 2% and 0.9% - although I doubt either country actually needs to spend even that much.
Overall, I would say that out-of-control military spending and runaway borrowing by the US is a much bigger threat to the rest of the world than anything Putin would ever manage to do.
References:
http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/#countries
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures
Biting the hand that feeds IT
