While I agree that most of Russia’s current wealth is due to resource sector. Thats no different to Norway, Australia or Canada. The fact is, Putin run a low tax government. Other sectors will take some time to grow
You make a number of good points. We have been drifting leftwards for 50 years (or more). Even during the 80s, government still expanded, schools got more ideological, businesses became more fettered, and individual liberty shrunk. And that was with a conservative president. Meanwhile, Russia was given a clean state, and fundamentally changed — the notion that they are communist, is silly. In most ways, it is hard to state exactly why we would consider Russia to be on our left. Looking at the size and scope of our government, I am not sure I would say that Sweden is even on our left.
While many consider Russia to be our enemy (and it is true that their interests and ours collide often), we have so many enemies internally that we need look no further than our borders.