Vlad seems to have lost none of his cockiness

In a speech designed to ally Russian unease about the ruble collapse and imminent recession, Putin gets into some interesting imagery:

Putin attributed Western sanctions that have targeted Russia’s defense, oil and gas and banking sectors for about “25 percent” of Russia’s current difficulties. 

But Putin stood firm over the actions that brought on the Western backlash, including Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula and subsequent support for pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine . Putin repeated Moscow’s claim that Russia has not directly aided the rebels.

“Taking Texas from Mexico is fair, but whatever we are doing is not fair?” he said, in comments seemingly directed at the United States.

Putin also suggested that the West was demanding too many concessions from Russia, including further nuclear disarmament. Likening Russia to a bear — a longtime symbol of the country — he chided the West for insisting the Russian bear “just eat honey instead of hunting animals.” 

“They are trying to chain the bear. And when they manage to chain the bear, they will take out his fangs and claws,” Putin said. “This is how nuclear deterrence is working at the moment.”

The cornered-animal effect.