Ken,
Its apparent the Western Power elite are opposed to its hegemony under the USA being challenged - Russia, as many have stated is seen as a petrol pump and mine for various natural resources, obviously these should be exploited by the West with bugger all going to the average Joe in Russia.

Then we have China and the West/NATO interfering in the region, not only Taiwan, but also the Philippines and Vietnam.

Taipei, like Manila and Ho Chi Min City is less than 90 mins flight from my neck of the woods in China, which formally is now known as the Greater Bay Area and the place where I reside is now a NATO target!

Evidently, and given the reality, the USA and EU/UK have dug their own graves by moving many manufacturing processes to Asia. Processes, which in many instances today they don't control and this they don't like - see semiconductors, pharmacology, banking and even most green technology.

At the end of the day, the Western Power elite want's absolute control and neither Moscow or Beijing will bend a knee to facilitate this. Quite the reverse, they oppose this cloaked imperialism.

Far from depleting Russia's ability to wage large scale warfare, they've done the reverse - same applies to China, i.e., its latest carrier is a midget carrier, one designed for unmanned aircraft.

Like you, I hope NATO/the Western Power elite get their noses rubbed in the dirt and I for one fear a nuclear war kicked off by these idiots.