[Pilgrim37]

Interesting series on the BBC about the changes in Russia over the last 20 years.

Putin comes across as pretty sinister but I wouldn't expect anything less from an ex KGB agent.Especially how he dealt with Oligarchs getting out of line.
Another ex KGB agent now owns The Independent,one of the UK's broadsheet newspapers!Who would have thought that 20 years ago..unthinkable almost.
The 2nd episode delves into Russia's relationship with Ukraine.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01...g_Control/

[Wizard]

Russia has never really had much of a democratic bedrock to build on, and it didn't help that after the Soviet Union fell all those ex-KGB men used corruption to enrich themselves in a way that makes capitalism seem just as bad as the old system. The allure of the strong man type that Putin projects is a return to the supposed golden era of law, and order the Russians think they lost. A chance to regain their position as an eminent world power.

Like every populace, they tend to idealize the past and forget the problems that brought the system down in the first place. Putin is a savvy politician, and despite all those protests you heard about I don't see him giving up power anytime soon.