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Russian here. I agree with most of this. The majority of people I know in this country have no interest in being an active part of the society. A lot of people have a feeling that they will be betrayed by the others as soon as the chance appears.

This slowly gets improved though, especially in the big cities.

At the same time, I think that Putin and his gang have got all the power to change the society and yet they don't do that and keep stealing.

I'm no expert on Putin but I can't process the narrative about him in this piece:

> And then Konchalovsky said that Putin initially thought like a Westerner

... but then he learned and adapted to exploit the Russians?

To my understanding he was a trained KBG-ist—the most nihilistic kind of person in all of nihilistic Russia—and believes chiefly in making money. To suggest that Putin has ever held beliefs, the kind people in the West might have, rings very naive.

"Бабки надо делать" he is quoted saying as a motto in the early 90s in the movie "Who is Mr. Putin?" That's his only truth, not unlike, generally, the people he rules.

Not many revelations there, sadly.

Depressing to read it and have my beliefs confirmed.

On a different note, I wish many journalists who have English as their first language would write as clearly and passionately as Christian Neef does.

On a different note, I wish many journalists who have English as their first language would write as clearly and passionately as Christian Neef does.

Neef is an old-school journalist, from a time when words matter more then eyeballs and click-throughs. And it shows.

>As a toll road, however, it is hardly getting used, despite the relatively low charges. Russia's drivers believe it is a government rip-off and prefer sitting in traffic jams on the old road.

One might find it surprising that many Americans would hold a similar view on toll roads. Maybe.