KGB_resident
LE

www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-55356699
Personally, I don't have a clear answer. First of all, Washington struggles to remain the only superpower in the World (make America great again) but it looks that the USA later or sooner will lose this status. In this context Russia only by the fact of its existence (in current shape) is a natural threat to US status of the only superpower. At the same time Russia with Putin at power is more and more active, expansionist and even aggressive on the world stage. Putin's regime becomes more and more oppressive towards political opponents. Mr.Putin uses to remove from politics everybody who dares to contest his position at power. I mean mr.Navalny but not only him. Well known (alas only in Russia) left politician, former senior diplomat mr.Platoshkin is at home arrest during half year for absurd accusations.During his annual end-of-year news conference, Vladimir Putin was asked about relations between Russia and the West.
The BBC’s Steve Rosenberg asked the Kremlin leader whether Russian authorities consider themselves “white and fluffy” – a Russian expression which means squeaky clean – when it comes to accepting responsibility for worsening ties.
Mr Putin struck a defiant tone in an exchange with our correspondent when asked about Russia's role in the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, the country's most prominent opposition activist.