But even if I were to accept your characterisation of Putin ruling with a "neototalitarian style" then I'd like to know when in the history of the RF, the USSR

But even if I were to accept your characterisation of Putin ruling with a "neototalitarian style" then I'd like to know when in the history of the RF, the USSR or the Russian Empire the society was more free than today? Yesterday. I mean in early Putin's days. Now thanks to powers inspiring "color revolutions" and "arabian springs" we have brain washing machine working non-stop. Edit: corrected formatting.