This is the most laughable claim in this article. Putin has been President of Russia since 2000 (with a brief, constitutionally mandated pause when Medvedev held the reins). Between 1991 and 2000 (the immediate post-Soviet era, when everyone was allowed to steal everything) the quality of life hit rock bottom. Life expectancy and birth rate plummeted, and the suicide rate skyrocketed. Since Putin took charge, all of these trends have reversed and quality of life is way better. Population is growing, life expectancy is growing. People are buying cars, new houses and apartments are going up EVERYWHERE, and jobs/business opportunities are ubiquitous.
Oil boom is over and of course its not Soviet Union...but let me ask you? Have you lived there as I have? And if so, when was the last time you were there and where did you stay?
(Moscow/St.P is not reflective of the whole of Russia.)
I am tired of Putin bots getting all their info from RT or even from the trolls here on FR thinking they can lecture me on Russia. Especially the Russia from 2008 onward. (When the financial crisis hit.)