Why did Russia miscalculate so badly in its invasion of Ukraine? The answer is more than two decades in the making. Putin’s Persistent and intentional decay of Russia’s institutions made it impossible for Russia’s intelligence community and military to provide quality information to him. Facing the uncertainty—and wagering that it would take a true disaster for it have a deep effect on him personally—Putin pulled the trigger.0:00 Introduction2:01 Putin’s Rise to Power4:54 The FSB Sets the Stage6:11 How Would the West Respond?10:20 How Resolved Was Ukraine?13:59 The Military’s Optimism19:35 Pravda (The Truth)25:27 Putin Pulls the Trigger26:32 Russian Success Was Plausible26:55 Bad Luck29:05 Lack of Blowback30:43 The COVID Pandemic31:24 Putin’s Illness35:19 Easter EggsThe appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.