Russia reignited

The mindset is what is important.
The mindset determines the extent to which the political class can push through its agenda and it is what we rarely take into consideration when we judge a nation.
The push to democratise the world which has been the thrust of Western ideology since the last World War is based on utilitarian concepts which sought to pull back from the nationalism that had led to so much struggle and bloodshed. The clique which had run Europe and heavily influenced what went on in the world at large was to be replaced with proper democracy in which leadership was in theory placed in the hands of the electorate.
Some nations took to the idea others never really accepted that, not having a strong, possibly authoritarian leader was acceptable and whilst elections were enacted as a form of paying homage to the concept of electoral responsibility, if a strong leader, using and manipulating the system to ensure he stayed in power, then so be it.
The Russian persona has always inclined towards having strong powerful, often dictatorial leadership. There seems no conflict, hankering back to the days of the USSR, days when the world feared the might of Stalin. The direction and the security which communism gave to the ordinary Russian, the acknowledgement that matters of state were handled elsewhere and that life and it's daily toil were enough to get along with. This "collective mind" still exists and is at odds with our own obsession with individuality and individual rights.
When questioned, the era of Putin has again raised the self image of a strong, life worn nation who would seek recognition through the State and what the State,represents. 
From cradle to grave the State provided. This facile "go it alone" favoured in the West particularly in America doesn't 'cut the mustard' with your average Russian. He was happy to take orders so long as the political direction was a benefit to the proletariat. Schooling. Wage control. Health and Pensions were the bedrock to his existence and so long as they were being provided, he was happy.
Putin has put back into Russian life a feeling that the the strong 'Father' figure. Who's long term benevolence will regain some semblance of order after the difficult period of flirting with capitalism and the distortion it produced with the wealth pooled by the oligarchs and spent on Yachts and Football Clubs, rather than a 5 year plan.
It would be unfair to say this is a peasant revolt since the power still lays in the Prada shopping streets of Moscow but never the less there is a sense that some of the attention has switched back to the hundreds of small towns and thousands of villages which make up this huge country and as we bathe in the success of our football team so the Russian bathes in the success of the Russian bear once more parading in an international sphere of influence.