It does not mean that Putin did not act in the best interests of Ethnic Russians within or near the borders of the Russian Federation, or that the US does not have similar interests in the suppression of Islam.
If Putin were so anti-Islam, he wouldn’t be so buddy/buddy with Turkey, Iran/Hezbollah, and put Israel’s interests on the line so much while buffing up Assad. He also supports the Taliban in Afghanistan.
And, if he truly cared about his people, he wouldn’t expend so much Russian blood and resources to his empire-building exploits. Hundreds of Russian mercenaries were killed by U.S. fire in Syria, but they’re everywhere! And he denies their existence to his own people! Now they’re in Central African Republic. God knows why. And what’s up with needing to support Ortega in Nicaragua and Maduro in Venezuela??? And continued funnelling of money and labor slaves to and fro North Korea?
Meanwhile Russia’s economy continues to hinge wholly on oil and barely grows. There are many things he could be doing to improve the day to day lives of his OWN people in the EXISTING borders, but he won’t do it. And that’s why the birth rate remains so low among other things.