Putin seems to be doing pretty well for himself.

[Igel]

1. There used to be talk about how fragile his rule was.

The government there's not got the highest approval ratings, but that's not uncommon. Putin's are through the roof, and the more crap we throw at him, the thicker the Teflon coating he has seems to be and it turns out he's developed anti-inertia.

Russia's still got too many believers in the current system for it to collapse. The USSR collapsed because nobody cared and because those who were brightest and most committed to the government as fiduciary for the country were carefully screened out of top positions--mostly the dull-witted and self-concerned in narrow ways were in charge, and who among them's going to risk much for the common good when they had little public support or even in just fighting over the rotting horse carcass that was the moribund USSR? Putin still has people around him who believe in the country and who are willing to engage in serious risk-taking. (Maduro's in between: He has dull-witted people around him, but they're still willing to take serious risks because they still have supporters trusting the government to give them stuff--food, shelter, or humiliation for those they envy and hate.)