The answer to the title is: Because it's strange, uncomfortable and unknowable; just the very same way the Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt.
yay golden calf!
They hunger for world influence again. They long for respect in the world even if must come from the nose cones of 40,000+ nuclear missiles.
Some Russians ignore the incredible holocaust led by Josef Stalin because he is credited with turning Russia into a superpower.
It's all about national pride but most Russians know now there is only one way to move forward.
Interesting comparison, might well include a good number of US citizens in the mix as well.
Note how easily it was to get the majority of US hooked upon that welfare state, called social security.