All vibes-based conjecture written with the air of a young adult novel. Contrary to what you might hear on the news, Putin is not the Russian Federation, and the Russian Federation is not an empire.

Yeah. Maybe I'll just let Putin speak for himself, then...

He views Russia as a vast empire, that stretches back centuries in a seamless flow of history. He barely acknowledges the Soviet Union as a break from that legacy...and more like just another chapter in it. He is every bit an imperialist, and believes that is what makes Russia great.

It's pretty laughable that you're accusing me of creating some kind of "YA fan-fiction". It would be so much better, if fans of Russia paid more attention to the things Putin actually says, instead of their own glorified head-cannon. You'd realize that most of your ideas about what Russia stands for, are total fantasy.