Putin was a star. He made Russian politics interesting again for expats. He has a personality on him to rival Anna Wintour, he is also a cunning, ruthless bastard that would make Machiavelli proud. Which is great if you are running the holy mess that is modern Russia (where people say that they want freedom but aren’t willing to accept the responsibility that comes with it. what they really want is a bit of money and to be left alone) under the microscope of global media.”