[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I disagree that Russians have a strong economy. Russians may be happier with a strongman telling them their lives are better.

Here are some recent evaluations of the Russian economy.
http://www.economist.com/topics/russian-economy

https://www.google.com/search?q=Russ...2F%3B565%3B420


http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/russia/overview

http://www.ibtimes.com/russian-econo...t-help-1633198

The Russian economy today is infinitely better than it was 15 years ago.

The effect of this is to make Putin wildly popular.