Why now with the election so soon? He'll be blind sided at some spot since they're coming at him from various directions. And if we talk a no fly zone it better be for all of Syria, not just West of the Euphrates (leaving the East to the Americans). The "deal". As if it's their land to negotiate such boundaries but then again Syria will take what it can.
Russia and Putin had the perfect opportunity and excuse after the first strike. He didn't take it because #1 he wasn't sure what to do and how to respond and #2 he still believes he can rationally work something out - intentionally naive just like the traitor Gorbachev cause he knows damn well any lapse on his part plays into the U.S hands and he lapsed for fear of escalation and the wild paths it can take. The Americans know this and exploit this to their advantage - as they clearly have. They test their opponent with things of this sort and strategize.
Now the gifts (plural) are being prepared and they're going to be presented nicely to him from a variety of fronts for his re-election party bash. The British are already sending him greeting cards.... If a vote is called on the U.N I wonder if China will abstain - instead of vote Nay. That will be interesting to see.
Factories running too slow in Russia - not up to the pressing needs of the time....
The only thing Putin has at his disposal I'm afraid, is, "strategic patience". He'll milk that for as long as he can aka take it up the ass while pretending not to. You can apply whatever meaning you like to that phrase. Russia in a quarrel with Ukraine (Russian land historically), dismembered and poor. I ask again, how is Gorby and the Soviet leadership at the time not hanging in Moscow square? It's easy to destroy, much harder, insanely much harder to build. Not a single bullet thrown (that was worth a damn anyway)...the 1991 "coup" failed. Thus you reach the conclusion, that Russia deserves what it gets, because weakness is not rewarded, and fairness and righteousness has nothing to do with how the world works.