They are returning to the time when Russian Orthodox was the state religion.
The Russian people overwhelmingly support this. They view Americanized protestant religions as cultish and don't want them proselytizing. There is no cherished tradition of "freedom of religion" in Mother Russia. There is one true church, one true God, and this is represented by the Orthodox Church. All others are heretical.
That is a patently false presentation of religion in Russia.