I think part of the confusion over the narrative of what happened after the fall of the Soviet union is because a rather raw and unrestricted form of capitalism, in which western businessmen were involved, was released over Russian society and was in various ways damaging it. This was then in some camps perceived as a conscious hostile act on the part of the West, which it of course wasn't. Putin was seen as a rescuer when he restored order. This explains why westerners can have the view that Putin is something self-inflicted while many Russians have the view of Putin as a hero while the West has let them down.
Slashdot Mirror
I think part of the confusion over the narrative of what happened after the fall of the Soviet union is because a rather raw and unrestricted form of capitalism, in which western businessmen were involved, was released over Russian society and was in various ways damaging it. This was then in some camps perceived as a conscious hostile act on the part of the West, which it of course wasn't. Putin was seen as a rescuer when he restored order. This explains why westerners can have the view that Putin is something self-inflicted while many Russians have the view of Putin as a hero while the West has let them down.
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