Thats the card they have and they may use it if it becomes the only one.

 Everyone will remember that failure of Ukrainian Campaign and will use it in their advantage.

It is not so much the Collective West Kremlin should be afraid of but these Friends and so called Allies and Partners you coin the term.

AS for west russian relations the outcome is frosty at best and digging all the way to planet's core.

Russia may not survive this century without proper Western Relations.