The Kremlin faced a real prospect of new US sanctions, which are more serious than the previous ones, one might say, catastrophic for the Russian energy industry. These sanctions differ from the previous ones in that the Americans do not seem to be going to coordinate them with the Europeans and agree that the calculations of Germany or Austria for a fruitful cooperation with Gazprom should be removed from the brackets of the indicative flogging of Moscow hooliganism. Americans could not help but foresee the European displeasure, but they waved at him. So this is a new season for Putin. Season of hunting, writes in his column on the portal Grani journalist Vitaly Portnikov.

Vladimir Putin ran into him himself. When he sent his thugs to the Crimea, when he decided to "pour gasoline" in the Donbass, in Washington these antics were viewed as manifestations of imperial paranoia, which, however, do not go beyond the usual Russian pranks. It is clear that Ukraine, which has decided on its own choice, still hurts any Russian chauvinist, as an invalid has a lost hand. It is clear that Putin is such a chauvinist. He must be punished, but you can sympathize with the injury. Barack Obama treated Putin with undisguised disdain, as to the overseas tribal king. Talks about the "cumulative effect" of sanctions, which, they say, will sooner or later work, but while there is nowhere to hurry, is a sign of just such contempt and contempt for the archaic behavior of the Moscow ruler. Serious conflict with such a humiliation would be for a single superpower.

Well, by his interference in the presidential elections in the US, Putin proved that he is not just the leader of the indigenous tribe. That he is a real threat. That he is ready not only to defend his mythical spheres of influence, not just to act against the interests of the United States and the entire civilized world, but wants to bring down American democracy. And that in this war all means are good - hackers, bribery, propaganda.

When Putin attacked Ukraine, he was communicated with him as a teenager, a repeater, proving his strength in the lower grades. But now Americans will treat him like an adult. Now to him - and to someone who does not escape from him in time - will have to understand what the real American annoyance means. It is unlikely that this is what he sought.