So I spoke with my Russian friend about this subject yesterday.

While she first said that Putin was a "monster", she continued that he, unlike most of our western world leaders, is solely about power - personal and national. Every move on the world's chess board that he makes is with Mother Russia in mind. He cares nothing for personal wealth, he has plenty, and is not influnced by bribes of the international banking community nor the objectives of the NWO/one world government. In other words, he will do whaterever he deems necessary to retain and strengthen both his own power and Russia's.