Putin won't like this. Good.

[DFW]

24. You hit on a very important point

"his murderous ways are not good for business"

Indeed they are not. Anything but, in fact. If making even more money than he already has stashed away was his ultimate goal, he could have pledged to respect a thriving independent Ukraine that was a de facto part of the EU, and made similar deal to open up the Ukrainian-Russian border as a free trading zone. Both countries would have had booming business, and Putin would have been celebrated as a hero genius by both Russian AND Ukrainians. Modest taxes on businesses would have filled the coffers of both governments, and the biggest job opportunity in Russia would NOT have read, "cannon fodder for the Red Army, funeral arrangements with free flowers, and a medal for your family." The second and third biggest being, as I see it, travel agents booking one way flights out of Russia, and those faking travel documents allowing draft age men to leave.