I think, here it is a case of overestimating their intelligence level.
Goondas running ex-USSR states are polar opposites of Western stereotype of "brilliant villains." For example Putin is said to be comically bad with arithmetics. Nasarbayev's verbal eloquence is so poor that regime lieutenants themselves often go on censoring him. Belarusian KGBs probably don't even know from where that Hamas comes from.
I'd say "shrewd, yes — smart, no" but the saying also goes "Folly is a more dangerous enemy to the good than evil."
I think, here it is a case of overestimating their intelligence level.
Goondas running ex-USSR states are polar opposites of Western stereotype of "brilliant villains." For example Putin is said to be comically bad with arithmetics. Nasarbayev's verbal eloquence is so poor that regime lieutenants themselves often go on censoring him. Belarusian KGBs probably don't even know from where that Hamas comes from.
I'd say "shrewd, yes — smart, no" but the saying also goes "Folly is a more dangerous enemy to the good than evil."