Originally Posted by MaxQ

While I disagree with your last sentence, the rest of your post is accurate.
There is a difference between paranoia and aggressive empire expansion.
Stalin was paranoid.
Putin is an expansionist/Eurasianist.
Almost assuredly Putin will in one manner or another be replaced by a violent authoritarian.

Bit of trivia.
Wish the animal was a bear, but did you know that if you shave the fur off a tiger, the stripes are still there on the skin?
I don't know if there can ever be a change to the bear, but the Germanic Henry the Fowlers rooster has been replaced by a Capon.
Unfortunately it took an unimaginable catastrophe for that change to come about.