If Putin is a dictator and human right violator and strangulated democratic aspiration of Russians and waged war against tiny neighbor, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in comparison is no less brutal in his own country going by the reports of London based Amnesty International - 2021, US based Foreign Policy Focus -2021, etc.
Apart from American threat, Russia can’t trust revisionist and expansionist Communist China in her resource rich Eastern frontier though they are allies now.
The present crisis in Eastern Europe is unambiguous product of present American leadership’s Super Power ego, present Ukraine leadership’s immature diplomacy and Putin-Russia’s wish to retain their sphere-of-influence as a legacy from now defunct Union of USSR.
In the recent past, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman have gone to the extent of threatening Australia and Japan with N-Warheads missiles attacks as they questioned the Middle Kingdom’s secrecy over Covid19 origin and trade policies violating international norms.