As explained to me by a Russian, the Russians inside of Russia love him, but the Russians outside do not. The inside Russians don’t want to become another USA and it’s their choice not our media’s.
Sure, just like Iraqis loved Saddam, he always got 90% of the vote too!
Here’s a little secret - this is how dictatorships work ...
They use all the tools of the State to manufacture a pre-rigged result, to make it look like the Dictator is popular
Meanwhile, all the serious opposition candidates have been disqualified, jailed, or killed (in the case of Navalny, all 3)
Let’s see how popular Putin is when he thanks the Russian people by condemning another 200,000 to die when he orders another mass-mobilization