Look at the Russia of 1998 and now look at the Russia of 2018. Not the external look, the inside look. If you are honest, you will have to admit: Putin was a miracle worker. Yes, he has downsides, is probably corrupt and did and does dirty stuff, but he was probably the best thing that could happen to the Russians. With his record and a half-way fair press reporting, he'd probably win every election on the planet.