This is not unique to Russia.
Under the “Democracies” or “Republics” of the West, the Elites do more against the interests and preferences of their populations than the “Oligarchs” governing Russia do.
Voltaire, the great French philosopher and writer "distrusted democracy, which he saw as propagating the idiocy of the masses." Fifteen years after Voltaire died, the Reign of Terror that followed the French Revolution proved him right.
Democracy (mob rule) was what caused Black Men to get lynched in the Democrat Party controlled Southern United States. With Democracy, the majority votes for its on interests and minorities are powerless disenfranchised hopeless souls.
Our United States of America's Founding Fathers intentionally rejected democracy because of this. The USA is a Constitutional Republic comprised of representatives who, wisely we hope, vote on our behalf just to temper the negative effects of mob rule.
Under the “Democracies” or “Republics” of the West, the Elites do more against the interests and preferences of their populations than the “Oligarchs” governing Russia do.