re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict

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IDK, I don't think you can maintain your power for as long as Putin or even Xi has without being able to get and respond to bad news. The chickens of just ignoring challenges and issues that pop up would come home to roost eventually. This is more of the Disney-fying or comic-booking of reality, where the villain has anyone who says his shoes have a scuff on them beheaded or something. That doesn't mean they never do that, I just don't think its as common as you're suggesting.

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Kings and emperors didn't typically face a lot of internal criticism, did they? I also think the "bubble" gets stronger as time goes on.

The initial "winds of change" bring in a whole regime of new people, usually loyal to a cause and competent. Factions form, and then power struggles occur, with winners replacing losers with loyalists. Over time, one faction/leader emerges, and they're surrounded by loyalists.

I actually think that's more likely in Russia (Putin) than China (Xi) at this point, based on the behavior of the two countries.