[selune]

You overestimate tech literacy of the majority of Russian population. Very small percentage is engaged with playing videogames or knows how to use torrents.

People are given lots of distractions though - so many controversial, absolutely absurd laws have been introduced in the past few years everybody talks about (about fighting homosexual propaganda, forbidding adoption for foreigners, blasphemy laws and so on). Internet restrictions are like a drop in the sea of craziness and not even the most relevant one for the majority, or controversial, or loud.

[nabla9]

The real power in Russia is within two cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg. It's the urban and relatively highly educated population in these two cities that decides the fate of Russia, not the majority.

[selune]

I might be pessimistic because I am in close contact with that demographic (lots of my friends are young, educated, comparatively well-off guys from Moscow working in tech) and, pardon my French, they decide shit. Oligarchs decide the fate of Russia.

[dmix]

Yet the oligarch’s power plays and Russia’s tough posturing seems popular among the population. Or at least tolerable to the average person.

How do you account for that?

[woodandsteel]

For one thing, Putin controls the media so they have been propagandized. That's why he is so afraid of the internet.

Beyond that, due to Russia's sad history, the population has pretty low standards and expectations for its leaders.

[selune]

Huh? Whoever likes oligarchs in Russia?

If you mean the popularity of Putin then propaganda and general low level of education of populace.