F Putin? I agree. Love Russia? No way in the world.
But not visit? Putin breathes a sigh of relief when he hears that. The one thing tyrants are terrified of is their population having contact with, making friends with, and doing business with his "enemy."
Absolutely go to Russia. Talk with people. Mess with Putin's propaganda as much as you can. He's telling the Russians how evil we are, what dastardly plans we have to put their country down. But if you're there, especially if you know Russian (although they learn English in school these days), you can countermand much of what they are told they should think of us. No one has to move there. Indeed, if they have any reason to find your presence there to be uncomfortable, you will be on the first plane out of there way before your reservation said you would.
When I was invited to go to Cuba while Fidel Castro was in power and the Soviet Union was their great beneficiary, I jumped at the chance. Sure, I was shadowed the whole time by their secret police. So what? They couldn't stop me from talking to people. I gave plenty of people in both Cuba and Russia reason to like us and question what their governments said about us while I was there. This is where you start breaking down the propaganda their governments try to drill into their heads.
One time when I was in Cuba, some members of a Soviet flight crew were getting into an argument with some poor Cuban saleswoman. They spoke no Spanish, and she spoke no Russian. I speak both, so I offered to translate for them. The Russians said thanks (well, спасибо ), and went on their way. The Cuban at the cashier said gracias, and then took care of my purchase (all of five post cards). At these stores for foreigners, you have to show your passport to make a purchase, so I did. Her eyes grew wide, figuring that an American in Cuba speaking both Spanish and Russian had to be a CIA agent. But she was very pleasant, grateful for the help, and whatever she had thought before about Americans (I encountered no others while I was there), I promise you, it was just a little better by the time I headed back to my room at the hotel.
Obviously, don't travel there with the intention of telling them how fabulous America is. They hear enough of that crap about Russia from their own government. Just have a factual, cordial conversation, and you'll do Putin more damage than ten cruise missiles ever will.
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