[dfwgator]

More “Russian Empire” than “Soviet Empire”. The Soviets weren’t Nationalistic, like Putin is.

[Army Air Corps]

Bingo.

[adorno]

The Soviets weren’t Nationalistic, like Putin is.

There are still a large number of Russians that bemoan the loss of the "stature" that the USSR had before the Soviet Empire crumbled, and Putin is using that sense of Russian entitlement to power, in order to work his agenda into place.

It also doesn't matter if there are people in Russia that were not nationalistic, since, they're powerless, and have no control over what Putin does.