Vladimir Putin's efforts to build influence abroad have succeeded in many places, but the Kremlin has also faced serious hurdles and even defeats. Thomas Kent delves into six cases where hubris and miscalculation led to reversals—some temporary, some permanent—of Russia's fortunes and suggests how understanding the common threads in Russia's self-defeating behavior can be of benefit to the West.

Thomas Kent, a senior fellow at The Jamestown Foundation, lectures on disinformation and Russian affairs at Columbia University's Harriman Institute. Previously, he served as Moscow bureau chief, international editor, and ethics editor for the Associated Press.