My goodness, black is white, up is down. Firstly, it could just as easily be said that there was "reasonable threat of the USSR “attacking” the USA from Cuba. And yet JFK was all set to start WWIII over that "perceived" threat. Likewise, Russia has its own geopolitical sphere and will defend it.

Worst of all, the US and NATO KNOW THIS. Everyone from Kissinger to Kennan has said over and over again for decades that Ukraine is the bright red line, and yet the US decided to cross it. Insisted on crossing it.

And as far as autocracy is concerned, just what EXACTLY will "spill over" into Russia from Ukraine, a country where the autocrat Zelensky has BANNED all opposition political parties, SHUT SOWN all opposition media outlets and combined the rest into one giant STATE RUN MEDIA NETWORK? Where he has OUTLAWED a CHURCH to which 11 million Ukrainians belonged?

Please: it is time for the non-US West to realise that we are backing the wrong horse.