Your question makes an assertion I haven't seen solid evidence for, notably that Putin is an "aggressive, power-hungry dictator". Russia is a democracy and has a Parliament that, unlike Ukraine's, hasn't been banning any parties that its President doesn't like, or cancelling elections due to being in the middle of a war. Speaking of elections, there's a good quote from a recent article I just found that I think sums things up pretty well:
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Putin won last year's election with 88.48 per cent when the highest ever post-Soviet turnout of 77.49 per cent was recorded.
"We are facing a war with NATO, just like under Tsar Alexander I with Napoleon, or under Stalin with Nazi Germany. We forget our differences and solidly stand for our motherland whoever is the leader," said 72-year-old pensioner Tatiana P.
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Full article:
Vladimir Putin marked 25 years as Russia's leader, rising from an obscure ex-KGB colonel to a dominant political figure. He addressed the search for a successor while highlighting his achievements in stabilizing Russia after Yeltsin's turbulent era.
economictimes.indiatimes.com