= new reply since forum marked as read
That's an order of magnitude over the "fascist" vote in Ukraine.
Then again, Putin does consider Le Pen to be a force for good.
Perhaps the reason Putin doesn't like Ukraine's politics is that it's not "fascist" enough?
Or perhaps because in most of Europe the far right despises the EU, and that makes them friends with Putin. While in Ukraine the far right despises Russia, and that makes them friends (or at least not too hostile) towards the EU. With "fascist" (or not being "fascist"
irrelevant to the entire situation, except for PR purposes and motivating people to hate and kill.
It could be that Putin appreciates any force that weakens his rivals. 
I highly doubt the guy is married to any political philosophy except one that supports his staying in power. I know I'm running the risk of being called stupid names by pointing it out, but most world leaders aren't super ideological. The ones who are rarely last that long. If he's in a proxy fight with the EU and US, it only makes sense to weaken the EU through whatever means are possible. It's strangely akin to the USSR's support of far left terrorists in the 70s like the Red Army Faction. The enemy of my enemy and all that.
I do have to laugh when people complain about his support of the far right, though. I laugh because of all the outrage huffed and puffed when there's apparently zero recognition that without the utterly insane policies of our great allies in Europe, there wouldn't be a far right to him to support. It strikes me that if you are really serious about undermining his undermining of Europe, you'd start by leaning on Merkel and Draghi.
