Leaders killing several hundred thousand to cover up their mistakes and crimes is pretty common these days.
So much corruption and death to preserve the child&oil economy.
its also to prevent an uprising, the more men he kills the less likely they all can join forces and oust him.
So he gives them guns and hopes they don’t use them against him.
putin has another trick, alcohol, if they can keep them perpetually drunk, which they are, they cant form any kind of gathering. plus they all die from liver disease, or alcohol related illnesses too.
FWIW,
a previous post of mine:
What would happen if 400k 2-liter bottles of tainted vodka—with warnings of such on the labels—where dropped on or near Russian military bases, over Russia-occupied Ukraine? (click for more details)