From the article...”Putin has come to be seen as a symbolic and sacred figure who is ‘not’ responsible for the economic situation in the country, but is responsible for the country’s greatness,”.... Levinson told the Gaidar Forum audience.....
“The more Russians feel that they are threatened by the outside world, the more ‘they will consolidate around Putin,” he said.
I believe this is true from reading Russians comments over the social networks and comments to articles on line. The population is defending him...like Obama’s followers are him.
I believe this is happening because the nations people throughout the world are primed for “cult” like leaders they can admire and get behind. Especially when the youth are so wired to technology and leave little time for anything but their minds fed with whatever is pushed over the internet.....this leaves populations ripe for a “King”.
There is something in the Russian mentality that make them want an absolute ruler. They had a shot at freedom and tossed it in the Round File for another absolute ruler, Putin.
Putin in the Czar even they don’t call him Czar. It is rare in Russian history for them to overthrow their Monarch for anything other than a different one.