"... I can see that would be confusing to people who have lived...

"... I can see that would be confusing to people who have lived in a dictatorship all their lives..."
You obviously get your info about Russia from the corporate-owned mass media. Your rabid-drool filled post confirm that theory.

"... I hear many sides of the story...."
Hearing is one thing. Doing your own research is another. Seems you haven't done the latter.

"...It may be confused to people who are only allowed to see state media..."
Is that what your problem is? Too much corporate-owned media that have moulded you into an indoctrinated rabid attack-dog that gets triggered by certain combinations of letters?

"...but here in the west some of us see it all and use our brains to make choices..."
You're not one of them.