I was there last year and the Russians seemed pretty happy. One person did comment to me that the standard of living in the cities was good, but that improvements hadn’t reached the rural areas yet. Of course, they were always in rather bad shape, but Communist collectivism really destroyed the farm economy and farm villages, so they had a long way to go to recuperate. Perhaps Putin needs to spend more money there, although, as in the US, these areas are pretty depopulated.
As the author of the article says, his bet is on Putin. Living standards have gone down (especially for people outside the big cities) - but not to dire straits or “Revolution” status.
The rural areas are depopulated because everyone is moving in droves to the cities for a chance at a decent livelihood. Especially young people who want opportunity. The beautiful little villages in between are dying from neglect and aging residents...and in general Russia has a “sparse population” problem due to low birthrates and the demographic crisis.
Russians —especially with any memory of the turmoil of the 90s -> are so desperate for stability, they will accept a happy medium. And right now they are in “stagnation” mode -Brezhnev style- and they know it, and they accept it...
But...considering the world climate we’re in today, the populism in Europe, the uprisings in places like Iran, the shock of Brexit, the Trump election and even the resolve of Ukraine —> make no mistake, even in the midst of economic comfort, these realities remind Russians that something is amiss when you still live on the terms of authoritarian system and the whims of a handful of wealthy oligarchs regardless of the acceptable living standards you are allotted in return for passivity...
For Russia to truly blossom, to innovate - it needs to change.