Putin would have served the Czar, as faithfully as he served the Bolsheviks. It’s not ideological with him.
He knows Communism sucked....but at the same time, he appreciated the power on the world stage they achieved.
“...he appreciated the power ...”
That’s human nature, brother... for sure, for sure.
“...It’s not ideological with him...”
I’m not sure of that yet. I just think we should hold him at arm’s length, like Reagan did with Gorbaschev. “Trust but Verify”, you know?
Tell you what - I’ll believe Russia goes “right” when they recognize that their citizens have the right to keep and bear arms and it shall not be infringed.. When Ivan, Yevgenny, and Boris can walk into “Mikhailovich’s Guns, Ammo, and Borscht Shop” and can buy their own used AK47, AK74, AK106, etc., and surplus ammo to plink with.
That would be a step in the right direction.