@cashless NO! he rigs the elections so he wins..hmmmmmm If anyone goes against him they get murdered in one way or another.

I think 'liking' isn't the word. There's a military term "Never underestimate your enemy". And when he first came to power, he was seen by the west as a young new face for the 'new' post Soviet Russia. Sure he had been a very capable KGB officer and might have killed/had killed a few people, but let bygones be bygones.

It was a gradual transformation and he took everyone in, shaking hands, smiling in photo ops...Russia was back with the rest of the world at last. It was overlooked he was a thug in a suit..But as the years have gone on and the rest of the world has changes of government and policy he's been one of the lasting figures in world politics.

He was just being patient. He loathes Bill and Hillary Clinton, knew he had little chance of dividing and conquering the EU or NATO unless he had a useful idiot to help him.. He must have thought all his birthdays came at once when Trump said he was standing for nomination. He's set to work, appealed to Trump's grotesque vanity and ego...This must be the easiest mark he ever had in the entire time he was in the KGB, and what a prize! Direct access to arguably the world's only super power and he doesn't really have to do anything other than be nice to Trump.

Like? No..Admire? No..Fear? Oh yes... Greatly.

@anythingoes477 In 1972, Putin was 20 years old and he could not give the order to shoot down the plane ...

@Darina As in U.S. politics--the absence of one leader of a political party does NOT mean that the old ways died with a past leader of that party. Just as it's been long standing GOP policy here to be the "Party of NO"---and has always been known as "The Party of the Rich"---rather than representing the values and interest of the common man---in Russia the policy of old is still very much alive in the Putin's style now. The only changes now vs. the1970's and '80's is a few extras thrown in by Putin to individualize his own character and style of leadership. This from Wiki:

"In foreign affairs, the Putin government seeks to emulate the former Soviet Union's grandeur, belligerence and expansionism. In November 2007, Simon Tisdall of The Guardian pointed out that "just as Russia once exported Marxist revolution, it may now be creating an international market for Putinism" as "more often than not, instinctively undemocratic, oligarchic and corrupt national elites find that an appearance of democracy, with parliamentary trappings and a pretense of pluralism is much more attractive, and manageable, than the real thing."

In other words---fundamentally little has changed from the 1970's. So the orders given now--would have been given in times past--because the focus of leadership and overall goals of government are still the same.

@anythingoes477 It is necessary to visit Russia once to understand it ...

with connections back home They all came over in the soviet era.

@ButterFly2023 You know don't you that most only read and watch what Putin want's them to know? And until it affects them directly and negatively most won't care. But those who do watch and read stuff Putin doesn't want the world to know, they're smart enough not to be too vocal in their opposition.

And who is in a different place you? The world is complex. Russians are a strange breed, they have a collective mentality and love a strong leader: It's probably a throwback to the Romanov era for all I know. Perhaps their attitude is wrong, I don't know but I know enough to be not judgmental about it: My country Australia is far from perfect. And for sure Russia and it's people are basically unintelligible from a American cultural perspective and I can't help that.

@SW-User Amen.

Although, he has had talks with Netanyahu...

I think he's just playing both sides.

@SW-User

He's too busy supporting a thuggish regime with the non stop murder of innocent men women and children in Syria that's why.

@cashless
He most certainly is smarter than so many other leaders in the world. I won't agree on what he's doing is the smarter thing for his country on the long run. No doubt it is for himself and his friends personally, but that won't make it likable in my eyes.

@patkaren1717
FIFY