Konyok:
“Can you explain to me the benefits to the Russian people, institutions and political process of the federal president assuming the appointment of provincial governors?”
————

As I recall this issue, this change was made because there was gross and uncontrolled corruption in the provincial leaderships. Ne pravda li?

I don’t intend to get into arguments defending everything Putin has done. I suggest that you ponder Putin’s popularity and that you consider other explanations than that Russians are inherently evil, angry fools who love dictatorship and who want to reassemble the Soviet Union. The Russians perceive that Putin dealt with the country’s real problems in a decisive and effective manner.