> If they had so much influence, why wouldn't they just prevent the aid packages from the beginning so they wouldn't have to throw their entire army through the meat grinder in Ukraine for over a year?
Two reasons 1) They wouldnt want aide packages to end because exterminating their people isnt their objective, they want to own the people not kill them. 2) If they did that you wouldnt have an argument to use to convince people that Russia isnt involved, the whole point is that they need to do things that make it look like they are against Russia without actually doing so, and this is a perfect example of that.