Putin is pseudo-Christian former KGB apparatchik.
But to claim the Soviet regime has not changed is purely silly.
It has gone from a horrific totalitarian regime to a typical authoritarian regime. You are free to travel, start your own small business, and access foreign culture as long as it is not political and anti-regime. Fairly typical for most non-democratic regimes.
Goal is not to control the world, silly given its population and resources; but to control Russia’s near abroad. The historical geo-political goal of the Russian Empire.
“You are free to travel, start your own small business, and access foreign culture as long as it is not political and anti-regime. Fairly typical for most non-democratic regimes.”
I understand this statament as a provocation.
Go ahead and start your own business in Russia. We will see what you will achieve…
Travelling? Get a passport first, then visa after you pay significant bribes…
Foreign culture? As well as it is not anti-regime? You must have not heard about the antixenophobic laws installed already during the FIRST term of George W Bush.
If you have KGB dominated regime than I do not think that real change took place.
You may or may not know that free elections in Russia even local ones were just abolished by Duma.