How Putin's Wars Have Defined His Rule—and Reshaped Russia's Future
War has become a defining feature of Vladimir Putin's rule in Russia. Since taking power in 1999, he has repeatedly turned to military action to strengthen his influence abroad and maintain support at home. Conflicts in Georgia, Ukraine, Syria, and parts of Africa have shaped his leadership—and come at a heavy cost.
Putin's reliance on war began early. The Second Chechen War, launched shortly after he became president, saw his approval rating soar from 31% to 80%. This pattern continued in 2008 when Russia invaded Georgia, occupying South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The conflict displaced 192,000 people but pushed Putin's popularity to 88%.
In 2014, the annexation of Crimea and the invasion of eastern Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions again boosted his standing. Support for Russia among Ukrainians, however, collapsed—falling from 78% in 2014 to just 3% a decade later.
Beyond Ukraine, Russian forces have been active in Syria since 2015, propping up the Assad regime. Military groups linked to Moscow have also spread into African nations like the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, and Mali. Yet the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 marked a turning point. The war now consumes roughly half of Russia's federal budget, while sanctions have crippled the economy and left the military struggling with shortages of basic supplies and spare parts.
Despite mounting economic strain, political isolation, and military hardship, Putin shows no sign of changing course. His long record of conflicts suggests war remains central to his strategy for holding power. The ongoing invasion of Ukraine, in particular, has locked Russia into a cycle of escalation with no clear end in sight.
