DJS, Russia resembles much of the interwar Nazi Germany by destabilizing their neighboring countries. FTS and many other Russian apologists think that it is OK, because everyone has done that. Two wrongs never make it right.
Russia was always a country with dictator. The population will consider him something like holy father, or Vatushka, who blesses their country (while they live in misery). And they worship him and they will die for him. Putin is destroying Russia, but they do not care. They love him and adore him. And orthodox Christianity supports this status position. Freedom, individualism, personal responsibility for own well being, and democracy never came from society which is derived from it. Actually, they oppose any freedom and democracy due losing control over the population. There is no single country in the world with Orthodox Christianity that has prosperous economy or stable political system. I think I have been every of them from Greece through Balkans and Russia to regions along the Black Sea: Greece is leaching EU. Bulgaria and Romania are 3rd world countries. Ukraine and Russia are engaged in warfare. Serbs were in constant war with their neighbors and still posses threat to Balkan instability. Where are Slovenia (Catholic), Estonia (Protestant), Czech (Agnostic) and all these Orthodox countries now? They were under the same political system, yet only one group is prospering and improving their living standard without the need to occupy and invade others.
Russians are driven by messianic complex (which BTW is known since mid 19th century and well documented by numerous people studying Russian subject). No Slavic nation likes Russia, because there is always threat of enslavement. In August 1848 one the most prominent Slavic writer in Austrian Empire, Karel Havlíček Borovský, wrote after his visit of Russia: "Russia can be the foremost country in the world, if free and ruled by laws. However, it is not, and thus must be treated for us, free Slavs in the [Austrian] monarchy, as the most utter enemy."