Russia believes that the failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump has increased the Republican candidate's election chances.
Vladimir Putin therefore expects the Trump administration to submit Ukraine to Russia's disposal and control. He anticipates American isolationism and an anti-Ukrainian stance from the Trump administration.
Unfortunately for Vladimir Putin, the United States, his number one enemy, will still be around even if Donald Trump is re-elected.
If re-elected president, Donald Trump could probably deliver Ukraine to Putin, but he cannot deliver the global hegemony that the Russian leader so desperately wants.
Putin wants Ukraine, but also global dominance
Vladimir Putin understands that America will continue to be a dominant force after the November elections, regardless of who wins, and will attempt to maintain the ongoing domestic culture wars that Russia has successfully used to its advantage over the years.
Russia has had enough time to learn how to exploit America's domestic divisions, considering it has been three decades since Newt Gingrich started this mortal combat between two American parties.
Vladimir Putin does indeed want Ukraine, but it is not enough for his ambitions
For this reason, while Moscow prefers Donald Trump over Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin would have preferred the assassinated candidate over President-elect Donald Trump.
Vladimir Putin does indeed want Ukraine, but it is not enough for his ambitions. As a superpower leader, he wants to influence world affairs by using his nuclear arsenal as a means of blackmail to force other countries to make concessions and submit.
Nothing personal
Vladimir Putin's opinion on Donald Trump's assassination attempt has nothing to do with Donald Trump personally.
Furthermore, Vladimir Putin certainly likes Donald Trump much more than any of the previous American presidents with whom he has had dealings.
But either way, both Putin and the entire Russian ruling class would have preferred the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, to have been successful. This was perhaps Moscow's once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engage in global affairs.
The Russians measure a country's size and strength by its military, particularly its ability to deploy nuclear warheads
The Kremlin had determined that Donald Trump's assassination would have left America as weak as it has ever been in modern history, not because of Trump's qualifications but because of the current toxic political environment in America.
The Russians measure a country's size and strength by its military, particularly its ability to deploy nuclear warheads.
Russia is convinced that America's massive nuclear capabilities make it the only country in the world that could comfortably disrupt Russia's natural, centuries-long desire to bully, subvert, and occupy other countries around the globe. As a result, America is responsible for Russia's inability to extend its control over other countries.
Entirely without America—or at least with a temporarily derailed America—Russia would have been relaxed and comfortable. Remove or paralyse America from global affairs, and Russia could comfortably add territory and subvert other countries.
The assassination would have caused riots in the US
A successful assassination attempt on Donald Trump would have helped Vladimir Putin realise his vision of the world and the role that the United States plays in it.
The Russian ruling class is convinced that the assassination of a presidential candidate, which would exacerbate America's current division and political collapse, would definitely paralyse America and please Putin.
Furthermore, the Russian ruling class is convinced that the assassination of presidential candidate Trump would have led to unrest on American streets, and thus America would have been preoccupied with domestic affairs for a very long time.
Many senior members of the Russian leadership share the view that the assassination of Trump would have sparked something similar to a civil uprising
Many senior members of the Russian leadership share the view that the assassination of Trump would have sparked something similar to a civil uprising or, at worst, a civil war in America, which would have been a godsend for Putin and his global ambitions.
Putin expects Donald Trump to subdue Ukraine if he wins in November, but the day Donald Trump survived the assassination attempt delayed Vladimir Putin's global ambitions.
Nothing personal, President Donald Trump; your assassination is just too desirable for Vladimir Putin's imperial dealings and Russia's global ambitions.
