Putin's admirers should be embarrassed now. The interesting argument in the thread link is the debacle in Ukraine stems from Putin's decision to act as overall military commander instead of appointing a skilled general. Putin believed the capital would fall in days, the Ukrainian military would cave and Putin could claim the credit for himself. Instead he's left the Soviet military looking fabulously inept and sowed smoldering dissension at home.
Why American "conservatives" continue praising him says more about them than about Putin.