What Putin wants may not be what Putin gets. In order to get where he says they want to go they would have to, a. overcome a demographic problem of historic magnitude, b. transform the gov into something other than a kleptocracy, c. develop an economy that can do something other than mine and sell the product and d. actually exert full control over their nation, right now they don't dare draft men from Chechnya.

None of this is to say they can't make trouble over the years. And none of it is to say we should ignore them, but Putin's dream of returning to the days of the Russian colossus will remain a dream unless things at home get fixed. My opinion anyway.