"was" is past tense. I can only say Putin has an eye on Russia's future. In my opinion, this may be the reason for "other powers" to oppose him. He wants a strong, self-reliant Russia. My answer follows.
Putin has built and is building infrastructure. Many oil and gas funded projects NATIONWIDE, down to small villages include churches, schools, centers for arts, hospitals, kindergartens, sports facilities and the list goes on to roads and sidewalks.
Putin also has a goal of food production for self-sufficiency. Of course, that does not mean absolutely no food imports, as Russia does not and can not produce cocoa, olives, bananas, coffee, etc. These are always in demand. He speaks of core commodities. Wheat has been 100% for a long time. I think it is pork, which i read over a year ago, has hit 100% of need produced. Poultry is close, yet beef lags. Other grains for humans as well as animal feedstock are near 100%. A lot depends on weather. Drought hit potatoes, A MAJOR STAPLE, in 2010. The normal 9-12 ruble cost hit 50! due to drought in many parts. This year, drought-resistant buckwheat, a seed grain, but not a grass grain (corn-maize, wheat, rye), was hard-hit by drought. Sugar beets is another laggard. I read about 10% of 1980's Soviet production of sugar beets is grown currently (2010??).
Also, Putin is building a Eurasian Union which will include former Soviet and non-Soviet countries. It is to be a free trade zone to make borders less of a barrier to trade. Efficiency is the word.
So that is Putin's vision for Russia. He has had great success in his endeavors. He has enacted change which lowered alcoholism, drug abuse (maybe he let them die off??!?) and has greatly improved life of all workers: teachers, doctors and pensioners.
All other nations upgrade their military, so has Russia. Is that bad? SURE! it is bad for any nation to have a military. Let's see who disarms first!
He hasn't any vision. Or let's say he sees the country as a money bag for his little oligarchate. Yeah, he likes talking big in the international affairs - but it ends exactly as it begins going nowhere, so it's just a game, a game that boosts his self-esteem and gives him a few populist points on the domestic arena. When he starts talking about economics or internal politics you clearly see that he didn't outgrow his old soviet colonel coat so to say. And the problem with colonels is that they don't have a vision, they follow the orders or once there is no one to order they either snap and loose the touch with reality or follow the same pattern they were once taught over and over again - no matter how effective or harmful it can be.
Putin is a manager.
The real masters are the Sionists.
Yeltsin was an agent from MI-6.
Berel Lazar sells drugs in Russia; he also
sacrifices boys.
Chabad is the real evil in Russia.
China will attack Russia on November 2nd.
He has stated that he believed the break-up of the Soviet Union was the worst geo-political fiasco of the 20th century. (He was a KGB officer at the time) Essentially his vision for Russia is something resembling the old Soviet Union. A larger, economic and military super power with more broad influence over eastern Russia.
It's said that he wants to restore (as much as possible) the old Soviet Union, bringing back all the recently independent countries. He also wants to restore its economy (which, frankly, wasn't very good when the Soviet Union existed). And he wants to make it a true world power again.
