Putin isn't a communist and Western media is widely available in Russia so there is no benefit in regards to information flow in expanding the border. And there is no significant economic difference between Russia and her neighbours, the Soviets were trying to hide the evidence that average people in the West had it better than the new Soviet man.
Putin's actions look much more like those of the 19th century Russian Empire than of the USSR (which never used nationalist rhetoric).
Putin isn't a communist and Western media is widely available in Russia so there is no benefit in regards to information flow in expanding the border. And there is no significant economic difference between Russia and her neighbours, the Soviets were trying to hide the evidence that average people in the West had it better than the new Soviet man.
Putin's actions look much more like those of the 19th century Russian Empire than of the USSR (which never used nationalist rhetoric).