John Lechner observes that Russian PMC operations in places like the Central African Republic act independently because those regions are not high priorities for the Kremlin.

“They act as Morat was saying very independently of the Kremlin because the these places aren't that important to Russia. And so in the places that aren't aren't important, he has to figure out his own ways to finance interesting these these operations.”

He suggests that Moldova is at risk of being drawn into Russia's sphere of influence given its location on Ukraine's border.

“Population around 2 million on the border of Ukraine. absolutely on the list of countries that Putin would like to have within his sphere of orbit.”

Glenn Beck contends that Russian foreign policy, as influenced by Dugin's philosophy, seeks to create an anti-Western axis that utilizes chaos to collapse the current global order.

“His ideas align with other movements and regimes that also reject liberal democracy, that also frame the world in apocalyptic or civilizational terms, that also see the West as something that needs to be destroyed.”

Vladimir Putin is motivated by personal wealth, security, and an imperialist desire to restore Russian greatness while holding a disdain for democracy and international rules.

“I do believe he has an imperialist vision of Russia and wants Russia to be great and bigger I do believe he has absolute scorn for the whole notion of democracy like I don't think he really thinks it's a real thing I think he thinks that we're faking it when we talk about democracy”