It is in the nature of a regime like Putin's that it must constantly seek new meat to feed into the mechanism of repression. This means generating a ready supply of enemies at home, not just abroad (Ukrainians/Georgians/Chechens etc).
This is why suggestions by some in the west that peace talks are overdue miss the mark entirely: Putin has no interest in peace, because he needs Russians to be in a permanent state of war, psychologically and therefore literally. A peace agreement (or even a victory parade) would mark the beginning of the end for him and his cronies.
Permanent struggle with ever-present 'enemies' enables the repression to be justified in perpetuo. It also means, as you suggest, that the bar for gauging who constitutes an enemy will get lower over time.
That way, Putin keeps his riches, keeps power and keeps his life on earth. Because he knows very well that the first person to fall out of a high window when the wars at home and abroad are brought to a conclusion will be a certain V. V. Putin Esq.
It is in the nature of a regime like Putin's that it must constantly seek new meat to feed into the mechanism of repression. This means generating a ready supply of enemies at home, not just abroad (Ukrainians/Georgians/Chechens etc).
This is why suggestions by some in the west that peace talks are overdue miss the mark entirely: Putin has no interest in peace, because he needs Russians to be in a permanent state of war, psychologically and therefore literally. A peace agreement (or even a victory parade) would mark the beginning of the end for him and his cronies.
Permanent struggle with ever-present 'enemies' enables the repression to be justified in perpetuo. It also means, as you suggest, that the bar for gauging who constitutes an enemy will get lower over time.
That way, Putin keeps his riches, keeps power and keeps his life on earth. Because he knows very well that the first person to fall out of a high window when the wars at home and abroad are brought to a conclusion will be a certain V. V. Putin Esq.