Putin's position cannot be understood by most Americans

Because Russia is such a completely different cultural context. Think about it this way. Russia was a Christian nation until Communism in 1917. The poor did better under communism but the middle Class didn't do as well for a variety of reasons. The rich (who could bribe people) and make people believe they were good communists were not killed and this went on. But, the people likely who suffered the most were middle Class educated people in Russia during Communism.

Here is another thing that blows my mind: Czar Nicholas (the last King of Russia) up to 1917 was first cousin to the King of England at the time. The Czar is on the left and the King of England is on the right.

1. King George V and his physically similar cousin Tsar Nicholas II...

   rarehistoricalphotos.com/king-george-tsar-nicholas-1913/

   Dec 24, 2015 ... When Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, George's first cousin, was overthrown in the Russian Revolution of 1917, the British government offered ... 

   
   

   Here are the two cousins in a photo taken of them:

   Stuff like this for example, shows how intermarried all the kingdoms were from England to Sweden to Russia and beyond in order to avoid wars for hundreds of years.

   
   

   So, there is this genetic interconnectedness to Europe regarding royalty that Russia for a long time shared with Europe. Then also Russia shared Christianity with Europe for a long long time. Then when the Soviet Union collapsed around 1990 The Russian Orthodox Christian Church then took over in Russia once again which is why you often see Putin with a Russian Orthodox Christian Cross on now, especially if he isn't wearing a shirt.

   
   

   Then you have to imagine the heads of all the states within Russia being a lot like Mafia Bosses (It is sort of like this in China too) where they fight among themselves over money or land or whatever. 

   
   

   So, whatever you think of Russia or China until you actually go there and study it you are wrong.

   
   

   Because almost everything we think about Russia here in the U.S. is wrong and likely almost everything they think about America in Russia is wrong except for the Russians who have either visited or live here now or Americans who either have visited Russia or live there now.

   
   

   So, most Russian and most Americans have no idea at all who Russians really are and Most Russians have no real idea of who Americans really are beyond the propaganda they receive.

   
   

   Which is dangerous because that leaves most people in Russia and the U.S. with no useful information at all about either country.(except the one they grew up in in the first place).