The largest threat to any autocrat is the success of a breakaway now-democratic state. Autocrats need their people to think that they are hopeless without them. Otherwise why allow them to have all of the power?

The quality of life of many breakaway former soviet states has been rising rapidly and that makes Putin look bad. The same applies to China and Xi: Taiwan makes Xi look bad. The more successful Taiwan is the more Xi will feel he must gain control. However, Russia's failing here will give him pause. It is a good example of how to lose complete control.