- Will the US and Russia start World War III?
The point ignored by the occident is that Kiev is 96 hours from being taken by russian forces and sanctions won't be enough to prevent Ukraine from being conquered by russians on short run.
Do you really think he really has that much power and troops to continue conquering new territories toward central Europe even if he was able to topple Ukraine's Government? I however don't think that is Putin's aim because he knows he wouldn't want to bite more than he can chew.
I think it's not a matter of how strong he is, but a matter of how weak and pacifist another nations are showing to be military speaking. Putin is a bully, if he feels the another side is vulnerable he will go for it. What is happening to Ukraine now might happen to another countries if he succeeds the currently invasion.
And as new territories are conquered, new troops can be recruited and military power added. Wasn't that what happened in WW2 as Hitler conquered european countries? Not all soldiers under his command were german...