Having been quiet for a few days, comfortable sitting back and watching NATO, Europe, and the US escalate each other’s talking points to a frenzy of populist revolt, Russia’s Vladimir Putin has come out swinging this morning:

• *PUTIN: NO MATTER WHAT U.S. DOES, IT TURNS OUT LIKE LIBYA, IRAQ
• *PUTIN SAYS UN CAN’T BE FOREIGN POLICY TOOL FOR U.S., ALLIES
• *PUTIN: EUROPEAN LEADERS FAR FROM SHOWING INDEPENDENT THINKING
• *PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA IS COUNTRY THAT DOESN’T FEAR ANYTHING

In addition to discussions of The Bolsheviks, agreeing Stalin was a tyrant, and slamming liberal economic models for creating crises, Putin notes his approval rating is high because “he is confident he’s right.”

Some more fun soundbites:

• *PUTIN SAYS BOLSHEVIKS BETRAYED NATIONAL INTERESTS IN WWI
• *PUTIN SAYS UNFORTUNATELY SUCH PEOPLE IN RUSSIA TODAY
• *PUTIN SAYS LIBERAL ECONOMIC MODEL LEADS TO BUILDUP OF CRISES
• *PUTIN SAYS NOBODY DENIES STALIN WAS A TYRANT
• *PUTIN SAYS LEADERS WIN SUPPORT BY BEING CONFIDENT THEY’RE RIGHT
• *PUTIN: FIGHTS AT UN SOMETIMES FIERCER THAN DURING COLD WAR
• *PUTIN SAYS UNITED NATIONS NOT ALWAYS EFFECTIVE

And perhaps of most note… just as Obama pronounced yesterday that US would not engage militarily:

• *PUTIN: RUSSIA FAR AWAY FROM BEING SUCKED IN GLOBAL CONFLICT

But…

• *PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA IS NUCLEAR POWER, STRENGTHENING CAPABILITIES
• *PUTIN: RUSSIA STRENGTHENS ARSENAL TO FEEL SAFE, NOT THREATEN
• *PUTIN: DON’T THINK ANYONE SEEKS LARGE-SCALE CONFLICT W/ RUSSIA

*  *  *

So – just like the Cold War – military build-up on either side and constant escalation in tensions…