In the beginning of the 2000s they voted for him with prospects and hopes for the future.

He didn't need the secret police to stay in power.

And now he f*cked it all up.

The west is dying, Russia is one of the most sick. And yes, Russia is a part of western civilization

Not that the situation here in the EU looks any better, thou, but really the Ruskies lost a great chance to become a true modern superpower.

They deny it so much but they can’t realize the Cold War is over

Same over here as well

I don't know if their demographics are fixable....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Population_of_Russia_by_sex_and_age_on_01.01.2019.png

America should have extended a hand to Russia, and helped them out

Yeah...

That’s terrible

Add to that they're basically a petrostate at this point. Does not look good.

Well, actually the Russians feel kind of betrayed by you guys, too.

I mean the surplus men is ok since they’re in their 40’s

I know they do

Their government would have us believe otherwise

When the Cold war was over they wanted a modern society and working state

and instead the US sent its PR stunt men and looter banksters

Not when you look at their life expectancy. And then there's the problem of it taking 25 years to grow 25 year olds......

and now they hate you for that.

Our government is made up of pieces of shit

It was that guy Clinton that f*cked it up.

@ETBrooD Nah that wasnt horrible

if you shoot kids you can burn

Uhhh...

Ok

Yeah that was one of the worst privatization schemes in history. They basically carved state assets into stocks then distributed the stocks among the workers. You cannot eat stocks or pay rent with them. So the Oligarchs and/or black market guys bought them at pennies on the dollar....

First by backing the drunk Elzin and then by using the Oligarchs to consolidate some power in Russia.

Collectively the western world must realize that our governments are our enemies, not our brothers

Before the KGB got the lead act in the show of course.

I think that the Russians now are far closer to making this conclusion than you are @Snake

If tehre is a good and strong leader who thinks for his people and does sh*t the Russian people are willing to follow.

BUT

The key word is DOES SHIT!

They will shoot any cowards, traitors or banksters!

Putin has said that Eastern Orthodox Christianity was closer to Islam than Protestantism or Catholicism. We are all Christians mother fucker

Putin is a full blown KGB sell-out by this point.

Well they do not segment religion on that demography but Muslims are about the only growing demographic there. So Putin's picking a winning side in a way.

I would be all over him, if there wasn't this KGB smell all over him.

Putin **made** them the winning side

By opening the borders of Russia to ex communists state like Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan