Tild~ers who live in authoritarian regimes (China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, etc.), what differences and misconceptions would you like to clear up?

Putin's propaganda has convinced the majority (the oldest 3/4ths)

That's likely true, if not to the extent you're putting it. Many if not most people are not "convinced" by Putin so much as they follow along because there seems to be no better alternative, and receeding into the crisis that was the 90s for Russia is not a good alternative.

and they are radically conservative to the point of ethno nationalism

There's plenty of nationalists in Russia, but they are decidedly not the majority. They're simply loud and obnoxious. Being sponsored to shout obscenities at each other and invited experts on state TV is not helping the image.

I'd say that many people are low-key nationalist 'cause they followed along with the current government's policies and propaganda mindlessly, without consideration. Life is stressful here for those who make regular salaries. The government exploits this to indoctrinate the populace. It could be that I want to excuse most Russians, but I like to think that these would be the same people to follow along a new, more democratic regime because "welp, that's how things are now".

Russia is as capitalist as gilded-age America with monopolies/oligopolies in nearly every field

I'm not so well-versed in the economic situation in Russia to the point where I'd be able to confirm or deny that.

It appears that there's healthy competition as far as consumer products go: there's at least four chains of convenience stores in my reach, and maybe seven across the city. (Excluding small privately-owned such stores, of which there are plenty.) There are also multiple competing Internet and TV providers, fast food chains, clothing stores, gas stations... I can't think of anything off the top of my head where one brand dominates as hard as they do in the US. Prices are about as competitive as you'd expect in such a situation.

That said, there certainly are oligarchic corporations. Their owners neither hide their wealth nor seek to part with it towards e.g. charities. Gazprom may be the one everyone in Russia would think first of, 'cause they advertise heavily on TV. A handful of others, mostly in industry and resource acquisition.

in nearly every field, including education and Healthcare

Most certainly false. Education and health care are mostly state-funded. This is what makes both of those laughably-underfunded. The school I went to had to raise funds elsehow just to be able to afford the facelift the building was long overdue for: they had to rent out a whole section of the last floor to a dance studio, among other things.

There are, of course, private enterprises in both of those areas also, and they make good money because they charge well above the average, but they're noticably fewer than state-funded ones.

This is the cause of russian stagnation, not 'sanctions'.

I'd say the main cause of Russian stagnation is widespread corruption on all levels of the government. It's common knowledge that everyone steals; there's even a word for it: "распил" (from the Russian verb meaning "to cut apart", implying taking a cut). It's so blatant that the politicians aren't even trying to hide it sometimes, e.g. when charging the state 2m₽+ for a luxury car for no reason other than because they wanted it.

Sanctions mostly ever have an effect on the regular citizens: I've mentioned a couple of times here how my laptop went two times up in price after the post-Crimean annexation sanctions.

These same sanctions also lead to something called "import replacement", where local producers were encourage to replace the important consumer products with cheaper Russian analogs. For example, a Snickers bar costs about 35₽, which is 10₽ more expensive than your regular loaf of bread; I can now buy a local bar for 10₽. (It's not to the same level of quality, of course, but it's not terrible if what you want is excessive sugar.)

Because of that capitalism, people think positively of the Soviet Union and see it's end as a disaster

The Soviet Union nostalgia is rather above my grade. It's a complicated cultural phenomenon rooted in the longing for the better past that's been encouraged by the current government in order to distract people from the shitty situation they find themselves in in the present.

I can, however, tell you with some certainty that the economic model has little to do with it, at least not directly. Yes, Russia is not nearly an economic powerhouse it wants to be: prices rise faster than wages, basic needs become more expensive to fulfill. The retirement age has been rising steadily over the years mostly because the pension fund can't keep up.

That said... I think it's mostly a product of the internal propaganda machine. We're being persuaded that it was better back then. It doesn't help that there are plenty of people who still remember the Union, and the fact that their memory keeps telling them grass was greener when they were younger means you can't dissuade them from a topic of such personal importance.

It was quite a shock to me when someone pointed out that celebrating V Day is not a norm around the world. Most countries moved on, while Russia still holds on to a victory that's 75 years old. Has the country done nothing since? The answer is: no, it has not - but it can't admit to it 'cause Putin needs to hold onto his power, and so do many of his cronies. So, memories of the past it is.

That cultural conservatism is what the state uses to make sure older people, who remember the Soviet Union to not pressure or seize the government to make it go back

I think I already answered that to some extent.

What I can add is a personal observation that may not reflect much of the internal state of the country but may shed some light on an aspect of it.

I think old people in Russia feel extremely disenfranchised. They no longer have a job. They no longer can have a job because they're frail. The pensions are ridiculous unless you worked in a mine or in a high government position for most of your life. (Most of the old people I know make just above minimum wage.)

They don't have a place to belong anymore, either: there are no clubs, no conventions, no hobby workshops. Their best bet is to go outside, sit on the bench near the building, and hope another one of your peers comes out and sit with you so you could complain about how bad things are getting. Their children don't visit often 'cause jobs are exhausting, bills are high, and their own children need to be taken care of.

This isn't living: they're basically left to survive on their own. There's no framework for them to reintegrate after they retire.

All this basically means they are not going to take back the state: too tired, too sickly, and having had learned too much helplessness.

Basically I think your nation is the US from the view of a critic squared

That's something that's been raised by the Western observers into Russia. People in the West seem to treat Russia as if it's basically a European/North American country, when it oh so very much isn't. There's plenty of commonalities, sure, but Russia may be too different from how the West imagines it to be treated as part of it. Culturally, economically, socially.

It also reminds me of how someone mentioned on Reddit that China has never had a democracy: it was but a string of despots. I dunno how true that is, but it mostly feels true for Russia, as well. Russians seem to want a benevolent dictator as their ruler more so than other nations, so they entrust tsars, emperors, and party leaders with the power to guide them. Living in Russia has never been easy, so many just want at least that burden of self-agency to be taken off by someone who looks like they know what they're doing.

I'm painting with a wide brush here, of course. My goal is to illustrate a particular trait of the Russian consciousness: one of many, but an important one all the same.

Hope this answers whatever questions you had. Feel free to ask more.