Putin disavows a immediate return to communism in his budding USSR. He does not disavow Stalin or Lenin, and has actively honored their memory. Nor does he fight communists, but has them in his government, on his TV, and as the recipients of his aid.
Communists are NOT in Putin’s government. Nice try: they’re the main opposition party.
A United Russia (ruling coalition): 238 Duma members
Communists: 92
A Just Russia: 64 (Neo-socialists and state pensioners)
LDPR: 56 (Zhirinovsky)
I’m no fan of Putin, but he did pass a flat tax, whereas Marxists are big into progressive taxes. Putin, while unsavory, isn’t a COmmunist, he’s something else.