[nickcarraway]

The USSR was just Imperial Russia with less food.

Well, and actually less freedom.

Now they are back to being Imperial Russia.

No, they are still USSR?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I will give you the less freedom part. But only a little.

Imperial Russia was a very repressive place. They used to send people around the world to take out dissidents in exile and as for freedom of the press, speech or religion, nyet!

No, they are not quite the USSR. The USSR would have cracked down on crime. Of course what they considered crime was subject to being what most places would consider virtues. Like being able to grow enough to eat and a bit to sell at the market.

Since Russia can currently feed it's self they are not back to USSR levels.