People overthrew him regardless.
I have close friends and relatives in both countries, and I think in Russia that’s nearly impossible. Not because of oil and gas revenues, because people. They aren’t dramatically different, the cultures are close, but there’s some statistically significant difference.
Russians are more inclined to believe they cannot change anything, just like the opinion you expressed in your comment.
Ukrainians are more inclined to stand against violence. When riot police brutally attacked peacefully assembled teenagers in Ukraine in 2013-nov-30, it sparked the main phase of the country-wide protests. Today riot police brutally attacked peacefully assembled teenagers in Moscow, and the only reaction I see so far is on Facebook.