Concentrated power is never a stable state. It’s always under attack, with paranoia a constant pressure for the top - or those who want the top.

It doesn’t help Putin effectively ran out of money (or is being seen to lead by greed) and/or basically wanted to underpay and send WMG in as cannon fodder. ‘If I’m [WMG] doing all the work, what’s in it for me’ logic is a strong opposing force.

I’d wager it’s actually been an fractionally published early strategy of the West and Ukraine’s military playbook - which is why greater and more immediate forced hasn’t been used or supplied to Ukraine.