“Strangely, Putin is actually a more popular figure in some other countries than he has been in Russia. In Vietnam his popularity continues to hover around 89%. Who knows why.”
Not strange at all. It was the Soviets who armed, supplied, and provided intel to the NVA, as well as provide the NVA with Soviet “experts” to fly Migs and operate AA batteries against US forces. That was very much Russia’s proxy war against the US.
The events that you are referring to happened 50 years ago. The median age in Vietnam is 32. The vast majority in Vietnam would not know what you are talking about. Putin's popularity in Vietnam, India, and other countries containing 80% of the world's population that are completely ignoring Western “sanctions” has very little to do with events that took place 50 years ago. His current popularity is because of perceptions formed much more recently.