Its a minority viewpoint in Russia. Then again, Russia is a different country from the Soviet Union that repressed dissent as a matter of policy.
President Putin is popular enough that he can afford to let the opposition blow off steam.
The only thing the demonstrators had going for them was the sheer numbers. If it was much less, they would have all been arrested. There is no free speech in Russia. Now that Russia has lost its leverage with the Chinese on gas pricing and the demonstrations in Russia are attracting greater numbers, Putin’s life has gotten a lot more complicated.
He came up from nowhere fast. There’s a real chance the syndicate may find something else for him to do, like retire. Gazprom selling gas below cost to the Chinese won’t set well.