> His version of Ivan was a great man who was surrounded by corrupt boyars intending to sell out Russia, and only he has the strength to unite the country again

> His version of Ivan was a great man who was surrounded by corrupt boyars intending to sell out Russia, and only he has the strength to unite the country against them. This is exactly what the "public"[1] public opinion is in Russia nowadays - Putin is talked about with respect, while his friends and local authorities all over the country are believed to by corrupt. Of course this suits Putin because people never blame him for anything, only his subordinates. [1] There's no way to know the "real" public opinion because people are reluctant to talk honestly about these things with random interviewers.