https://www.wired.com/story/developer-altered-open-source-software-to-wipe-files-in-russia/

Malware has become Protestware.

How irresponsible. This is akin to throwing a Molotov cocktail through the window of a Russian store and spray-painting a heart on the sidewalk. It accomplishes nothing other than destroy the property of innocent people and brand you a criminal.
It would have been far more acceptable, even if still objectionable, to write a single file somewhere on the file system with the message "peace in Ukraine" or something like that. At least it wouldn't be destructive.

if it is done right (disruption of military or government only) such things can be used well on a limited scope. Consider the virus that was dumped in the uranium centrifuges way back when. But when some random doober decides to do this sort of operation -- as said, totally irresponsible and unethical.

It doesn't hurt the Russian government directly, but the more shit the Russian people have to go through the more protests and outrage. Whether that'll stop Putin is debatable.

He probably thinks that after he has Ukraine and everything dies down that he'll be seen favorably later in the history of his country or something.

Its kinda like china & taiwan ... "im a country"/ "No, you are our territory" ... except Ukraine was looking to join the west, which gives bases/strategic threats to the west against russia. A mix of that with a double dose of 'might makes right' mentality and here we are. I suspect putin has delusions of grandeur as well. He is getting older and maybe, with a wimpy US leadership and a confused EU (they are united only on paper, really, though this war has improved that) he just decided 'why not' or something.

Making russian common people miserable directly to encourage them to protest is not a good long term strategy. It will make them dislike US, not putin. Making them miserable indirectly (economic pressure, bad shortages, etc) is even iffy on that front. You have to understand they love their country, in spite of its flaws, and you will have patriotic effects where they see the rest of the world hating on russia and hurting it -- over what they may see as putting down a rebellion more than a war on foreign territory... (not sure on that last, we don't have good insight into the actual public opinion over there...)

When I hear “wimpy” I think of someone who won’t stand up to a bully. Do you think someone is bulling the US?

I think it's quite cool that anagrams of "Vladimir Putin" include:
"dump rival in it"
"I'm valid turnip"
"I invalid Trump" (coughs)

whilst anagrams of "Vladimir Putin, the Russian president" include:
"Devilish, imprudent, nastier Rasputin"
"Punitive triumpher in dastardliness"

(according to anagramgenius.com)

When I hear “wimpy” I think of someone who won’t stand up to a bully.

"Wimpy" means "weak". Someone weak would indeed not standup to a bully, but it's not a defining characteristic of wimpiness. A weak person who's not being bullied could still be described as being wimpy.

Let me redefine my question: Do you believe the present US leadership is acting weak? If yes, examples would be appreciated.

The question really is whether Putin perceives the US leadership as weak and the EU as confused.

Putin doesn’t consider US leadership or the EU weak. He made it very clear he fears them by trying to ensure Ukraine doesn’t join NATO. He is now accusing both the US and the EU of being economic bullies.

His invasion has made it obvious to the world that Russia is not a superpower. We all know that the US would have conquered the Ukraine in two days. Those that say we lost in Afghanistan are confusing occupation with warfare. We were not able to stop the insurgency, but we conquered Afghanistan quite easily.

Let me redefine my question: Do you believe the present US leadership is acting weak? If yes, examples would be appreciated.

Yes. On a scale of 'blow up russia' (10) down to 'bah, they can have the Ukraine, no one cares' (0) we might be pushing a 4. We dithered for a week on whether to stop buying russian oil, how hard a decision was that? Even having to *think about and discuss* this is a sign of weakness. But what is missing is the line in the sand. The US in lockstep with the rest of the world (or the vast majority of it) has to be willing to say 'go home or else' and back that up if they do not. Anything else is not going to work with this kind of behavior -- they will ignore sanctions and speeches. Perhaps russia believes that 'or else' has come to mean a stern talking to and some finger wiggling -- why on earth would they thing that, I wonder? What must Kim be thinking over in N. Korea watching all this with keen interest?

No, I am not keen on a war. But what happens if he takes Ukraine and we did nothing meaningful? What do our allies think of our protection? What does russia take next?

We dithered for a week on whether to stop buying russian oil, how hard a decision was that?

Liberal democracies find it very hard to act decisively. That said, I agree with your sentiment.

The west likes being rich, and even an economic war will be costly. As far as I know Germany is still going to buy Russian oil; this doesn’t sound like support to me.

I remember reading the other day that Russia supplies natural gas to like half of Europe. Unless someone is willing to send tankers to Germany at a discount, I don't think it's feasible for them to stop relying on Russian fossil fuel.

What must Kim be thinking over in N. Korea watching all this with keen interest?

To be honest, sometimes I wish NK would just attack. They would get absolutely creamed and that dynasty could end once and for all.

The other day I was looking at some 360 pictures of Pyongyang on Google Maps and I started to wonder why everything looked so empty. I had seen pictures of empty North Korean roads before, but I'm talking about a deserted city:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0194608,125.7535511,3a,75y,253.09h,87.66t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPJXtTuuonoDEVxfW0b8--qdi4tHfb9fKRMypeF!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPJXtTuuonoDEVxfW0b8--qdi4tHfb9fKRMypeF%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya239.93088-ro-0-fo100!7i5656!8i2828
It's because nobody lives or works there. All the buildings you see there are basically empty. It's city-scale propaganda directed at outsiders. If you look around on the satellite images you can spot little slums tucked away in the middle of the city blocks:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/39%C2%B001'00.3%22N+125%C2%B046'10.0%22E/@39.01675,125.7672557,907m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0xa85adf05d69c6a6f!7e2!8m2!3d39.0167427!4d125.7694486 (Notice that this place is less than 1500 m from that square.)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/38%C2%B059'38.8%22N+125%C2%B043'06.3%22E/@38.9954146,125.7182764,907m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x38ac46893e10a979!7e2!8m2!3d38.9941138!4d125.7184266
That's where the people of Pyongyang actually live and work.

My point is, it's in North Korea's rulers' best interest to keep their saber rattling as just that. As soon as it goes beyond that, their enslavement of the populace will come to an end. Presumably they realize that.

on their own, sure. But they may see an ally in each other now or if things get worse. But you realize if NK attacks, it will go for the south, and if it does that, it will be because the rest of the world is unwilling to stop it .... that is where I was going really. Perhaps we would sanction them if they did that... oh, snap.

But they may see an ally in each other now or if things get worse.

No way. The only one who cares about North Korea is China, and I very much doubt even they would commit forces if NK strikes first.

Heh, would be strange bedfellows .... I hope you are right.