There is no comparison to the USSR and people should be sophisticated enough to see the differences. Even if Russia is a second rate two bit tyranny this is nothing compared to the worldwide empire Iron Curtain USSR that controlled half the world and was ready for WWIII with us at the drop of a hat.
When USSR was starting out in the early 20s, it was not a worldwide empire, but, using your own words, "a second rate two bit tyranny". Serious worldwide reach came later.
It doesn't take much in the way of "sophistication" to understand that the same Stalinists who owned and controlled Russia prior to the wall coming down control Russia now.
Russia will continue to consolodate state power. The Stalinists who run the country aren't the least bit interested in democracy.