I mean Perception in a military sense and used in the way I am using it.

I am a Soviet at heart. I love the Soviet Union and see it as my country. So from that perspective, VVP is "contaminated". He protected the traitor Yeltsin from investigations in the 90's when the Prokuratura started investigating him and his cronies for illegal dealings. Putin helped prevent the Communists from returning. Putin dealt with the Oligarchs as well and rumor has it he had his own shady dealings in St Pete's in the 90's (I cannot say if its true or not, thats why I say it is rumors). Putin always spoke fondly of the West - see his interviews from before 2008. He has shaped a large portion of Russian society based on Western models, not Soviet ones. He has been forced into his current position by circumstance, not desire.

While Putin has done many positive things for Russia, him being a atlanticist and a Yeltsin man cannot be ignored.