People in power in Russia are gopnicks with prison values and behavior, and so is their diplomacy, when looking crazy tough and dangerous is a primal objective.

People in power in Russia are gopnicks with prison values and behavior, and so is their diplomacy, when looking crazy tough and dangerous is a primal objective. Alas it works on the more civilized folks who take it at face value and try to make a deal when they don't even have to.