Russian President Vladimir Putin engages in political and diplomatic battles over Ukraine as if it is his personal Stalingrad. Many liberal or just moderately independent commentators in Moscow argue that there was no need for him to take such a one-sided position and that the role of an even-handed arbiter could have brought Putin plenty of dividends...
Baev, Pavel K. (2004) Needing a Scapegoat for the Fiasco in Ukraine, Moscow Slams OSCE, Eurasia Daily Monitor. 1 December.