"Putin seems to be stepping in everywhere that US power is seen to be waning. So does that mean Putin is some sort of geopolitical chess master, deftly moving his pieces in every confrontation around the world? The answer, most close Russia-watchers say, is no. Putin's foreign policy is not guided by some messianic ideology, much as the Soviet Union propagated Communism during the Cold War. Putin may consistently define his position in opposition to those of Washington -- casting himself as a staunch defender of state sovereignty against efforts to promote democracy and human rights in other countries -- but his policies can also be ad hoc and improvised."