It's even worse.

Russia is the designated "bully" to keep the west in line. Russia could either accept this role or end up like Ukraine "the perpetual victim". Guess what Russia chose?

Eastern European nations tried to throw off communism only to have to accept corrupt regimes. They are hubs for drug and human trafficking. If the people do rise up and try to force out the regime, the DS lets out "the Bear" and a corrupt regime is re-installed. As punishment they might lose something like "Crimnea". They are kept weak and broken and unable to defend themselves. Any resistance and once more the "Bear" is let out.

But the "Bear" is just as much a puppet as its victims. They are force into roles to hurt each other or else. The "Bear" has more freedom, but it must also perform certain functions to be allowed those freedoms. It must be scary and threatening and impossible to predict.

The "victims" are used as an excuse to launder "aid". The thieves say "We must protect them from the Bear" but really all that money gets circled right back into their pocketbooks. Meanwhile the Bear gets to be big and strong and have the power to cut the power off to its victims.

In the East, you have the "Panda" who forces eastern nations to want protection from the US. They must either try to buddy up to the Panda who will exploit them ruthlessly or to the US who will also exploit them but in a different way. You have North Korea to be its crazy little attack dog.

Thailand and Vietnam have had to allow the high volume of drug and human trafficking that takes place there to flourish for a long time. If they didn't there were many ways they'd be punished.

Iran is the big threat in the Middle East. It's their boogeyman that has to scare countries there into buddying up with Israel.

In South America you have Venezuela. Every region has a designated "bully" to terrorize the others. The others can't seem to just get together as allies and force the bully into submission. Nope. Not allowed.

However, Russia pushing this far crosses a line. You can see so many leftists in shock. They never expected it would go this far.