What we can't know is if the Russian people do or don't support Putin.   Putin is the political system, opposition has been dying at above normal odds, there is no viable alternative, he's a dictator.    We can't know if that's OK or not with the Russian people.

I can see why PE elect Trump would say a friendly Russia is a good thing for America.   That is his typical world view - how does an event affect his personal interest.  Trump's concern for the welfare of the Russian people is second to his concern for American capitalism.    

We have millions of Americans who believe, at their core, that self-interest is good and natural.   Social Darwinism and competition picks winners and losers.

Supporting Putin would be a big ideological swing for Americans who believe our nation represents the unalienable rights of ALL people to free will choice. The ideology found in defeating the authoritarian Nazi threat is being lost.   God given rights don't exist, human authority/power wins.