Putin's internal power is entering a crisis phase. Given how Putin has alienated every one of the "princes" he's created over the last 20+ years, the knives are getting sharpened between rivals.

If Zelensky took refuge from Putin's storm-troopers parading into Ukraine from Belarus, Putin's power would gave been enormously elevated. But that didn't happen. Putin's would-be crowning achievement of his dictatorship disguised as a parliamentary democracy backfired. How Putin backfills his disaster is yet to be seen.

Saddest of all developments since the Berlin Wall came down is how Putin screwed up Russia. It had potential to incorporate itself into a European-style social democracy along the lines of Sweden. It could have embraced East Germany's unification with West Germany and watched how East Berlin flourished as did the rest of East Germany. Or followed the progress of Poland and the Baltics as they integrated into the EU. But Putin's greed drove him to attempt to recreate the KGB Soviet system in his fascist mafia modeled image. Poor path,Russia.

A narcissist led autocracy is tough to abolish. Look at Nicaragua today. Look how Xi in China has consolidated his power. Belarus's Lushenko's been in power 30 years. The Kim family of N. Korea's been in power 83 years. The Castros in Cuba 64 years. Once autocracy gets control, it's almost as tough as abolishing monarchy. But in most dictatorships, there's no incentive to governing benevolently.

Even Rome after Caesar Augustus, most emperors who followed were tyrants until Diocletian. And the death of one generally led to nothing better.