In my opinion, the improvement should come in the form of an anti-soviet revolution similar to the Ukrainian “maidan”, which would make a clean break with the Soviet and post-soviet past and bar Communists and FSB from power. Once that is accomplished, the regathering of Russian minorities in the near abroad should proceed not through banditry but according to the international norms.
Yep, right. As if your scenario has played so well in form of so-called Arab spring. There is no viable opposition in Russia, apart from Nazis and Communists. Liberal democrats have spoiled their reputation for decades under Yeltsin and healthy American-style conservatism is not really known.