In Russia Putin selects the candidates for all political parties giving the semblance of a democratic process. The people are able to vote for the candidates and whoever wins supports Putin.
In America there is a two party system and Putin selects the candidates for one of the political parties.
Trump was and remains Putin's candidate of choice for president. Putin also supports any candidates who are challenging the electoral process in America because that weakens America and gives him more power.
I have no doubt that Putin advised Trump in his attempt to overthrow the 2020 election. It could have been something as simple as saying, do what I do and challenge the outcome of any election where you lost. You don't really need to have evidence as long as you are in control. Or it may have been something more complex like have advisors study US law and advise Trump on weaknesses in the US system indicating that the vice president could just overturn the election rather than certify it.
Did Putin stop with Crimea? No.
Will he stop with the Ukraine? No.
Putin has a god complex and he won't ever stop. He has also demonstrated that he is not afraid of using radiation as a weapon having used it to assassinate several of his political enemies.
