Russia’s action in the Crimea was quite predictable. Without the means of having bases and supply to its huge Black Sea fleet of over 360 warships, it would have no Influence in the Middle East region at all. So that part of the chess game was lost before the West even woke up to it.

For whatever reason, he has been supporting Assad, it has been effective in stopping the West from a direct attack in Syria, thanks again to the Black Sea fleet and the use of a Port in Syria. Now it seems that he has realised that with the use of an extensive bombing campaign, much larger than the West can maintain, then Assad could win the war.

Russia has enormous military resources, much greater than the US, though not as sophisticated. With nearly 50,000 tanks and 30,000 warplanes, clearly Europe would fall like mice before a threshing machine. Thus the West cannot undertake any significant military action anywhere against the Russian sphere of influence. Pouring more men and equipment into the northern Baltic areas is only to reassure those nations, it will not change anything.

Putin was very miffed at the silly smack handy economic sanctions and is determined to make the West pay for that. So far he is succeeding!