What's happening in Russia is a warning to us all. No one could tell Putin no and that's how he went into Ukraine dreaming of making Russia great again. Putin underestimated Zelensky and the Ukranian people and he greatly overestimated his own military because the people around him were afraid to bring him the facts.
Dictators eventually cause real trouble for their people. Many don't see it at first because the dictator speaks to their grievances and xenophobia. But it always ends badly.