One reason Putin is so concerned about a real democracy in Ukraine, is that it could spread to Russia. After the Beslan massacre, Putin decreed that governors would no longer be elected, but appointed. What does that have to do with fighting terrorism?
It's going in exactly the wrong direction. Federalism and elected governors is one of the advantages the US has over the rest of the world. Governorships are a training ground for Presidents, indeed our best Presidents: Roosevelt, Reagan and G W Bush.