I think he probably visualizes the gradual encroachment of NATO ending up with a bayonet shoved up his ass a la Libya. He apparently watched the Gadaffi video o

I think he probably visualizes the gradual encroachment of NATO ending up with a bayonet shoved up his ass a la Libya. He apparently watched the Gadaffi video obsessively and he was certainly publicly outraged about it, particularly in light of the broken promises the west made to gafaffi that he'd be left alone. In the 2000s he probably would have felt somewhat safe losing power. I think after that video his attitude was probably that if Russia loses its military power and he loses power in Russia he will die a messy and horrible death. And hes been in this state for over 10 years now. Theres probably some truth to the notion that COVID isolated him but I think Libya contributed most to his paranoia. Im pretty sure this puts nuclear weapons strikes on large population centers on the table.