Not only does Islam and some traditional forms of Buddhism common to the Russian Far East have protected status, but the Russian Orthodox Church has done little to sidestep the rehabilitation of Stalin and the Soviet mythos surrounding events such as World War II. “Victory Day” is the holiest day in the modern Russian calendar. Polls show young people credit Stalin with victory, but over half know nothing about his repressive acts which killed millions of his own people.
Particularly passionate about this as I know of Americans (and even Korean Protestants, Polish Catholics, etc...) who were instrumental in helping build up the spiritual life of post-Soviet Russia: not only in proselytizing/building churches but also visiting prisons, caring for orphans, rehab for alcoholics, care for HIV patients and drug users...
Now such activities by law can be considered the equivalent of spying or extremism.
The holiest day of the year in Russia is Pascha. Russia is Orthodox territory, and Putin is right to back that in preference to evangelical sects. America should be as Christian as Russia. Stop spreading misinformation.