He may or may not love Russia, but he certainly hates the US and wants it out of his way. Russia, under KGB Putin, supports and supplies with arms, US enemies, Iran, Iraq (under Saddam Hussein), North Korea, the ChiComs, Venezuela (under Chavez and his current successor), other Latin American marxist/socialist dictatorships, Cuba, and Syria. Hardly a friend to the US, despite all the FR butt kissing that goes on on these threads.
You do realize, that, Free Trade with Communist China helps keep that NutWad Kim Jong Un in power in No Korea? It is Communist China, not Russia, that keeps No Korea around. Communist China is the only real trading partner of No Korea...and by proxy...via our stupid insistence to continue Free Trade w Communist China...the US supports NoKo
What does that have to do with the question I answered?
I believe Putin does love Russia in his own way—He’s more Czar than Communist. He will use his ham handed policies to do aa he pleases. He plays hard ball and doesn’t mind sheding blood of those he sees as traitors. the social constraints of the USA and the west mean nothing in Russia. He is a leader—and will use his power—for the Glory of an imperial Russia (and himself).