Worse than imperial China? The Mongols? Alexander the Great? The Dutch and Dutch East India Company? The British? The French? The Spanish?

There is no "lesser evil." There are assholes in charge who kill and enslave people just living their lives. There are rulers and enforcers who work together to trick the public en masse that any one of them is better than another. When at its core, owning and harming others is inherently wrong with no middle ground and benevolent slavers are still slavers.

Just like it isn't the Russian people who want war or want to fight in war, it is Putin and the wealthy who want it, to kill their own men and to thin the herd. They can then take their money and stuff after they die. It's not just about what they gain from Ukraine, it's also about an attack on their own people.