I have dozens of Russian friends too, they explained all these things to me, especially since after the war many had to cut off almost everyone starting from family (I mean most of them had already cut off parents or at least a father since they typically beat the shit out of children) to classmates to other acquaintance. They were raised in Russia (those raised in western countries have a totally different background and are less severely impacted culturally) and were adults before Putin had absolute power. They say he just built on top of the identity of violence and imperialism. The Russian philosophers and political scientists they read and watch explain this. Are they bigots too?