It's not exactly new, or Putin. It's roughly been Russian policy since the early 1800's and the Great Game/Bolshya Igra only then it was trying to undermine GB

It's not exactly new, or Putin. It's roughly been Russian policy since the early 1800's and the Great Game/Bolshya Igra only then it was trying to undermine GB and Sterling, particularly over India. They seem to have been working the multi-polar angle since Tsarist days too. The internet obviously made things a little easier. An awful lot that is blamed on Russian intervention sounds far too convenient.