No doubt that Putin was a hard core and atheistic communist while moving up through the ranks in Russia. Surprisingly all that changed. in 1993 he converted to Christianity. Not only is he an active member in the Orthodox Church but he has actually transformed the Russian people and government into supporting Christianity and the Orthodox Church. That's right, through Putin's leadership, most Christian Church's in Russia receive State monetary support. Read a little bit about Putin's Christian beliefs in this article:
Putin religion: Does Russia’s President believe in God? – Daily Premium News
Of course, Putin's Christian conversion doesn't explain his murderous actions in the Ukraine.