1/17 Is he actually working for the CIA, or is he simply NATO's salesman of the decade? On Putin's 72nd birthday today, we are increasingly nearing the end of his pathetic and bloody rule, which has at least significantly undermined russia and wasted its potential

2/17 Putin assumed the role of Prime Minister of russia in 1999 and became President the following year. His approximately 25 years in power have been marked by typical failures resulting from the centralization of power coupled with unrealistic imperialistic ambitions.

3/17 Putin's leadership has become synonymous with failure, destined to be remembered as the man who had the opportunity to reshape russia after the challenging decade that followed the collapse of the USSR, yet chose to destroy it instead.

4/17 In 2022, Putin opted to initiate a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, after more than 2.5 years of total russian commitment, Ukraine retains control of all 23 regional capitals and special status cities it held at the beginning of the invasion.

5/17 russia is fully committed to this war, with over 600,000 russian casualties reported. Putin claims to recruit 30,000 volunteers each month and has mobilized an additional 300,000 troops. The focus on offensives in Ukraine has left russia unable to secure the border in Kursk

6/17 Putin's unsuccessful invasion of Ukraine is the final straw, but his failures began long before that. The full-scale invasion sought to shift focus away from his other failures, much like the annexation of Crimea did in 2014.

7/17 Putin's leadership has prioritized the centralization of power in every possible way, resulting in russia becoming progressively more authoritarian each year. Those who have been in russia have witnessed significant changes in this regard over the years.

8/17 Putin has been unsuccessful in reforming russia's economy, which continues to rely heavily on oil and gas exports. Additionally, he has neglected to address corruption and the country's pressing demographic challenges, worsening this issue through his wars.

9/17 russia's nominal GDP is currently lower than it was in 2013. The country's demographics are in a dire state, and the economy continues to deteriorate, with no potential private investments expected due to a key interest rate of 19%.

10/17 The costs associated with the war will continue to increase. The recruitment efforts further aggravate the labor shortage, and when combined with escalating public spending and sanctions, these factors contribute to inflation.

11/17 russia is now weaker and less sovereign than it was before, as its economy is entirely reliant on china. china views russia as its proxy or barking chihuahua, utilizing it to access natural resources and to try to undermine the West.

12/17 Putin's aggressive foreign policy, especially the invasion of Ukraine, has resulted in russia's increased isolation on the global stage. While russia is not completely isolated, it is significantly more isolated than it was prior to the invasion.

13/17 Putin's rule is fragile, not due to a dislike from the russian people, but because of their indifference. Prigozhin's coup attempt serves as a clear example of this; Wagner seized Rostov without resistance, and russians even posed for photos with their troops.

14/17 Putin's most significant achievement may very well be the revival of NATO. He succeeded in uniting the West and reigniting the awareness in countries that had abandoned the notion of self-defense. Europe's defense industry is also grateful to Putin for this accomplishment!

15/17 Putin has transformed the largest country in the world, rich in natural resources and inheriting significant prestige, expertise, and equipment from the USSR, into an economy smaller than Italy that functions as china's barking chihuahua.

16/17 Is Putin a CIA agent? At the very least, he has earned the title of NATO's salesman of the decade. He may go down in history as the West's most effective sleeper agent or useful idiot.

17/17 Source: Reuters - 'God save the Tsar!': Putin receives first wishes for 72nd birthday