Overall you have an interesting perspective here, but I think you’re missing what truly motivates Putin here (read what he actually writes and watch how he acts, not the propaganda he preaches). NATO threats are a total contrived pretext and farce. It’s a defense alliance that would never attack first and never has.

Putin is threatened by democracy, especially one on his borders.

With that said, notice I keep saying Putin, not Russia. I think you make excellent points here around the treatment of Russia more broadly. We cannot hold the entire population to account. They have been poisoned by propaganda and fears of a mafia state. We absolutely must take Churchill’s advice here and act with grace so we can move forward in peace. Unfortunately I don’t think that can happen until there is regime change in Russia.