Do you think true democracy can ever be established in Russia ? We have had Imperial Russia, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Federation, none better than the last.

Mr. Putin and his aides maintain that true democracy has already been established in Russia.
They have repeatedly said Russian democracy is as strong as that in Western Europe or America.
Others, of course, differ.
If you take the view that democracy could use some strengthening here, you probably need to look at what the stresses would be on the current system for that to happen.
If, for example, the price of oil drops sharply, the economy would suffer and public discontent would most likely rise, making if harder for the Kremlin to keep control. Over the long term, the growth of the middle class should also create a more favorable atmosphere for democracy.

I believe there are all the ingredients for a true democracy in Russia.
What is missing yet is a credible opposition.