Putin says he wishes the Soviet Union had not collapsed. Many Russians agree.
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin  participates in a forum of regional and local media organized by the Russian Popular Front in Kaliningrad  Russia. (Alexei Druzhinin/Pool/EPA)
A day after unveiling dramatic new weapons — including a nuclear-powered cruise missile — that sparked talk of a return to Cold War tensions   Russian President Vladimir Putin  suggested that  he 'd reverse the collapse of the Soviet Union if  he  could.
 Putin 's comments on the 1991 collapse of the U.S.S.R. — which bound Russia and many of its neighbors while exerting influence in Eastern Europe and abroad for almost seven decades — came at a question-and-answer forum held Friday in Kaliningrad. Taking questions from the audience  the Russian leader was asked what event in his nation's history he would have liked to change.
 Putin  has been been leader of Russia in some form or another since 2000  making  him  the longest-serving Kremlin leader since Joseph Stalin. This week   Putin  used  his  annual address to announce a series of new weapon technologies that  he  dubbed "invincible " including nuclear-powered missiles that would be difficult for conventional missile defense systems to combat.
 Putin  is easily expected to win next weekend's election  with a poll conducted last week giving  him  almost 70 percent — almost 10 times the share of the vote of  his  nearest rival  a candidate from the Communist Party.
Despite  his  regret about the collapse of the Soviet Union   Putin  told the audience on Friday that  he  wouldn't want to live in any other period than the present. Asked about  his  dreams for the future   the Russian president  said: "I want our country to be successful  powerful  stable  balanced and looking ahead."
 Putin ’s new missiles could probably strike the U.S. The old ones could  too.
[TGT]participates in a forum of regional and local media organized by the Russian Popular Front in Kaliningrad  Russia. (Alexei Druzhinin/Pool/EPA)
A day after unveiling dramatic new weapons — including a nuclear-powered cruise missile — that sparked talk of a return to Cold War tensions   [TGT]suggested that  [TGT] 'd reverse the collapse of the Soviet Union if  [TGT]  could.
 [TGT] 's comments on the 1991 collapse of the U.S.S.R. — which bound Russia and many of its neighbors while exerting influence in Eastern Europe and abroad for almost seven decades — came at a question-and-answer forum held Friday in Kaliningrad. Taking questions from the audience  [TGT] was asked what event in [TGT] nation's history [TGT] would have liked to change.
 [TGT]has been been leader of Russia in some form or another since 2000  making  [TGT]  the longest-serving Kremlin leader since Joseph Stalin. This week   [TGT]used  [TGT]  annual address to announce a series of new weapon technologies that  [TGT]  dubbed "invincible " including nuclear-powered missiles that would be difficult for conventional missile defense systems to combat.
 [TGT]is easily expected to win next weekend's election  with a poll conducted last week giving  [TGT]  almost 70 percent — almost 10 times the share of the vote of  [TGT]  nearest rival  a candidate from the Communist Party.
Despite  [TGT]  regret about the collapse of the Soviet Union   [TGT]told the audience on Friday that  [TGT]  wouldn't want to live in any other period than the present. Asked about  [TGT]  dreams for the future   the Russian president  said: "I want our country to be successful  powerful  stable  balanced and looking ahead."
 [TGT] ’s new missiles could probably strike the U.S. The old ones could  too.