Putin chose… poorly.

Instapundit - Across the strategically situated region, Beijing is drawing local economies into its orbit. Chinese investments are diverting the region’s young workers away from Russia. - Stephen Green

“ALLIES”: Beijing and Moscow Go From ‘No Limits’ Friendship to Frenemies in Russia’s Backyard.

...But in Central Asia, which Moscow regards as its backyard, the friendship that both have declared as having “no limits” is colliding with Beijing’s global ambitions.... 

In Central Asia, as in the Arctic, Moscow’s reliance on Beijing to sustain its war machine forces it to acquiesce to the encroachments...

A Chinese-funded railroad promises to connect it with Europe, bypassing Russian territory. Chinese renewable energy projects are helping reduce its reliance on Russian gas.

Putin chose… poorly. - Stephen Green