Summary

The analysis centers on Vladimir Putin's pre-war National Security Council meeting, highlighting his extreme isolation as a sole decision-maker and the staged nature of the event. This theatrical display of power, reminiscent of authoritarian regimes, served as a naked demonstration of strength and intended a swift, decisive military operation. The takeaway is that this meticulously choreographed meeting revealed Putin's authoritarian language and foreshadowed the subsequent foreign aggression and domestic repression.