Because democracy and freedom are hindrances to his grifting. In authoritarian kleptocracies like Putin's Russia, they let you grift as much as you want.
He is pathological narcissist liar, and has always been so. He doesn't need handlers to give him fake poll numbers. He will happily create them on the spot.
It is interesting that you assume that breadbasket will not also be decimated by climate change like the rest of the world. Is that some of that American exceptionalism I keep hearing about?
The narcissistic moron did exactly the same when he took over twitter. He fired a bunch of people whom he later found out were necessary, and attempted to hire them back. Of course the narcissistic moron never learnt from that experience.
We don't know that, because there are no such sources. But we have concluded that a Jesus most likely did exist. What this likely existing person did and said is not concluded in the slightest.
Yes, the support for Putins war is definitely a very bizarre thing.