Things have changed a lot since then. For instance, their own military contractors attacked their forces and invaded their mainland.

You know, like a competent army does.

Edit: also mearhsheimer’s premise is deeply flawed and his reasoning only gets worse from there. I am shocked beyond belief that a political realist would assume Russia sees the Ukrainian conflict as an existential threat, or that Ukraine sees the destruction of Russia as a war goal.

This war began as a bullying landgrab and has turned into a shit show because Russia thought they had another Georgia on their hands.