Putin is not the most hawkish member of the Russian government.
Some think he should have gone more all-in in Ukraine, to the point of actually declaring war.
(Why do you think Putin’s government still insists on calling a “Special Military Operation”? Because as far as Russia is concerned, there is a distinct legal difference between being at war and conducting an SMO.)
Hating Putin is how the Neocons justify their denial about our enemies in DC.