9 8 9 , ▁when ▁the ▁country ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ." ▁The ▁Econom ist ▁Int elligence ▁Unit ▁has ▁r ated ▁Russia ▁as ▁" author itar ian " ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁whereas ▁it ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁considered ▁a ▁" hy brid ▁regime " ▁( with ▁" some ▁form ▁of ▁dem ocr atic ▁government " ▁in ▁place ) ▁as ▁late ▁as ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁According ▁to ▁political ▁scient ist , ▁Larry ▁Diam ond , ▁writing ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁" no ▁serious ▁scholar ▁would ▁consider ▁Russia ▁today ▁a ▁dem ocracy ". ▁ ▁Personal ▁image ▁▁ ▁Put in ▁cultiv ates ▁an ▁out door , ▁sport y , ▁t ough ▁gu y ▁public ▁image , ▁demonstr ating ▁his ▁physical ▁pro w ess ▁and ▁taking ▁part ▁in ▁unusual ▁or ▁dangerous ▁acts , ▁such ▁as ▁extreme ▁sports ▁and ▁interaction ▁with ▁wild ▁animals , ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁public ▁relations ▁approach ▁that , ▁according ▁to ▁W ired , ▁" d eli ber ately ▁cultiv ates ▁the ▁mach o , ▁take - charge ▁super h ero ▁image ". ▁For ▁example , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁tab lo id ▁K oms om ol sk aya ▁P rav da ▁published ▁a ▁huge ▁photograph ▁of ▁a ▁bare - ch ested ▁Put in ▁vac ation ing ▁in ▁the ▁Si ber ian ▁mountains ▁under ▁the ▁head line : ▁" Be ▁Like ▁Put in ." ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁activities ▁have ▁been ▁critic ised ▁for ▁being ▁st aged . ▁Out side ▁of