> There sentiment was that Russia is not ready for democracy right now because of years and years of propaganda and suppression of an intellectual elite.
Propaganda and suppression of an intellectual elite are symptoms. The root cause is the possibility for a small group of greedy people to pump oil and gas, get a lot of profits, and to finance a repression machine allowing to cement the status quo. All this scheme is leads inevitably to a simple economy and a concentration of power, when democracy is considered as a threat to profits of a small powerful group.
If there was no possibility to sell oil and gas, then it would be appropriate to discuss if a benevolent dictator might help to build a democracy. While this possibility persists nothing will help. Now it seems West is going to ban exports from Russia (I'm very excited), but there is China. China will benefit from supporting Russia on it's way to a North Korea scenario. So I believe there is no hope for a democracy in Russia.
If there was no possibility to sell oil and gas, then it would be appropriate to discuss if a benevolent dictator might help to build a democracy. While this possibility persists nothing will help. Now it seems West is going to ban exports from Russia (I'm very excited), but there is China. China will benefit from supporting Russia on it's way to a North Korea scenario. So I believe there is no hope for a democracy in Russia.