The author is more inconsistent than he portrays Putin to be.
First he claims that Russia was relatively democratic until 2012. Then he mentions "the 2008 aggression", likely referring to the invasion of Georgia, which resulted in two regions annexed by Russia. Yet he claims that Putin's territorial conquest first began 14 years into his rule, presumably pointing at the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
The author is more inconsistent than he portrays Putin to be.
First he claims that Russia was relatively democratic until 2012. Then he mentions "the 2008 aggression", likely referring to the invasion of Georgia, which resulted in two regions annexed by Russia. Yet he claims that Putin's territorial conquest first began 14 years into his rule, presumably pointing at the annexation of Crimea in 2014.