Eclectic, I think that both Bibi and Putin are popular in their own respective nations. I remember hearing a former CIA man saying in his opinion that Putin is one of the most capable and switched on leaders in the world, mainly due to his FSB background, a leader who really understands what is going on and how the game is played. He is certainly more capable than any western leader. Most of my Russian friends like him.
Granted Bibi is highly switched on aswell.
While I agree Russia had huge problems things are improving and their military is certainly not anything the way you describe. They are either military power number 2 or 3 in the world, its hard to say if China or Russia is number 2. Eventually China will be number 1 power in the world.
If you were to add Russian and Chinese forces together right now you end up with something that really comes close to matching if not surpassing the US military.
Israel has probably the best trained military on Earth and are indeed powerful, far more so than any European nation, but they are not in the same league as Russia, China or the USA.
In conventional terms Turkey is a very powerful nation, her conventional forces are far stronger than any European military.
The west is supporting the wrong side in Syria. Russia and China are right to point this out, sure they have their own agenda, but it does not make them wrong.