Hard to see this happening even with further conflict.  Ukraine itself depends on gas, so trying to screw independent Crimea over which has no real centrality to any concept of Ukrainian nation (it is just to spite Russia with) is just not a good tactic,  and will not change the situation in Crimea to their benefit.  FYI, the EU itself is clear that the previous Ukrainian government was the cause of the gas problem, that they were stealing gas, etc.  Russia has since then only built new pipelines under Baltic Sea, all the better to be a reliable supplier.

Assuming this characterization of Russian actions in Crimea, how is that a new tactic?  Hello, Kosovo? Hello Croatia and Slovenia an Bosnia?

AFAIK, Russia is not exactly supporting the President in the way suggested by this, they never liked him to begin with, but are now simply stating that he is the legitimate president, which is a pretty obvious position when you look at how the "revolution" took power, and "impeached" him without proper procedure or the mandated super majority.  The revolutionaries seem to want to have their way with no compromise (still no explanation I've heard why they NEEDED to abandon the EU negotiated agreement), and Russia's position has been that they should find consensus with all the country in order to establish a legitimate government after a break with the constitutional order - after all if that order was overthrown, why sholdn't other regions take the revolution in their own direction? Russia was TALKING about that for about a week after the Kiev revolution, without any military action, but nobody in Kiev or NATO paid any attention.  They were too occupied in their moment of triumph demolishing Russia's perceived interests, they were the "winners" so didn't care what Russia or anybody else in Ukraine had to say, they had the power so why negotiate with the losers? 

So now NATO is shocked at Russia's actions, and defends the  revolutionary government which includes Military ministers and Prosecutor General from Svoboda party (that the EU Parliament itself identifies as neo-nazi and that should not be cooperated with), and which has been arresting local citizens and politicians that have tried to organize for regional autonomy/federalism.  Along with plenty of actions outside of official government by rightwing extremists, intimidating politicians to resign, etc. 

But it's all about Crimea by the Western media.  The West ALWAYS follows international law and respects sovereignty
- ahem- Libya - Afghanistan - Kosovo - Yugoslavia - Granada - ahem.  
Oh gee, have you heard the news from Libya recently?  The Western and Gulf Sheikdom media reports on # of deaths by Qadafi's regime against protesters turned about to be hugely exaggerated, which of course was the entire basis for the "need" for intervention to overthrow the government.  Never mind the subsequent deaths of the civil war, or ongoing chaos and criminality, or black people being rounded up in camps, or Parliament now hiding from armed gangs unable to meet in official buildings, and secessionist rebels holding sway. If it's NATO and Qatar and Saudi Arabia, they've got human rights COVERED.

Always the easy answer: blame it on Ukrainians...

BTW, I believe Russia and Poland are supposed to have equivalent GDP in PPP (what you can actually buy for life necessities),
with Ukraine higher on currency value basis, but Russia making up for it in lower costs in other areas.
Long term, with EU economy not able to grow much as a whole, Russia would seem to have the better prospects
especially with much more reforms still able to be done, but it's great that Poland has done relatively well,
certainly didn't work out so well for Romania, Bulgaria, or Yugoslavia.

Part of it was of course that Western banks colluded to allow it, most all those shady deals were enabled by off-shore bank accounts in Switzerland, etc. During the whole period, the West was hugely favorable to Yeltsin, never mind that he was lording over the most intense corruption ever, and doing dubious stuff like getting army to fire on the Parliament when they wouldn't go along with his agenda... That's democracy, baby. None of that threatened the fundamental interests of the West since they were making money off the whole thing, and you can work with gangsters. The West sabotaged products of Russia like airliners, restricting cooperation on re-engining, which would otherwise compete with Boeing/Airbus. With the rug pulled out from under the system, and crooks able to steal money using the Western financial system, regular people could only survive.

What do you see happening when Putin does retire?
Medvedev seemed fine enough, but doesn't really have the same popularity.
Of course, Putin's popularity is massive by Western standards, 60%+ for a serving President is crazy good.
Shoigu is supposedly a well-liked public figure, but does he really have political leadership in his bones?

What is the latest food trends in Russia? How is vegetarianism/veganism there?
Veganism particularly seems more of a US/UK/Germanic type thing, how does Russia fit?
I would say that Thai is the new mass popularity food in the US, with Mexican-American food already huge.
Are microbrews/smallscale craft beer common in Russia, or St Petersburg where you live?

What part of Russia would you most like to visit that you haven't seen yet?
What part would be most appealing to live in, if not St Petersburg?

Wow, a lot of questions! )
On the Putin retirement - I don't know. Medvedev is NOT alright, he shouldn't be at power any more. Who will be next leader of Russia is hard to say. Now I'd just wish Mr Putin an exellent health! )
Food - don't know really. A lot from here and there, also traditional Russian cuisine is still strong.
Small brewerys exist, its not much of them, their beer mostly IS good.
I'd like to visit Baikal/Vladivostok/Nakhodka.
I like living in Spb. I liked my life in Murmansk. I think you create life around you and its mostly depends on person itself.

Nobody was arrested for this in Russia yet. Illegal meetings arrests =/= gay rights arrests.

~Spam Comment Removed~

-Smeags

What about people given fines for saying, "I'm gay and I'm not a freak"?

I'm not sure what you mean by illegal meetings arrests, although if you could link to what you're referring to, that sounds interesting itself. This was the protestor I remembered hearing of:
http://kazantimes.com/kazanmoments/activist-charged-with-violating-russias-gay-propaganda-law/

Other things I thought of:
How much is gasoline/diesel?  Fixed price everywhere or varies by location/vendor? 
Just because that affects how much people can drive longer distances.
I think governors used to be appointed by the federal government, but now they are elected, except in South Caucasus?