Why not? He was brought up surrounded by the effects of godless society without hope. My mother was Russian Orthodox, and it seemed that the religion is much more spiritual and connected to its values than the RC church has become.
I can believe that it has influenced Putin. He's an intelligent, accomplished man who cares about his country. We should be so fortunate.
I would be interested in an analysis of how the Catholic Church has lost so much influence in its homelands of Italy, Spain, and Portugal, but the same has not happened in Russia.
How do the operations of these churches change the outcome they produce?