Yet again, the world is hanging on what Russian President Vladimir Putin does next.

But the omens, after his grievance-filled televised vent against Ukraine, the West and the indignities of history on Monday, are very, very dark.

Putin significantly escalated his showdown with the US and its allies, signing decrees recognizing two regions of eastern Ukraine seized by Russian-backed rebels. At the stroke of a pen, Putin sliced off two more pieces of an independent, sovereign nation to add to his seizure of Crimea in 2014. Moscow said it would send what it called “peacekeepers” to the regions. Its euphemism notwithstanding, US officials fear that the