I think that he is becoming totalitarian because Russia is in the war and under the attack from the time of Gorbachev onward.
I don't think that he would stay as a President if the time is normal. He would step down long time ago. But the core of Russian nationalist think that in not normal circumstances it is not wise to change the players for Foreign and domestic politics.
It is actually questionable who is in charge Lavrov or him. If you look at the body language when they are together it seems like that Lavrov has more authority.
Russia is attacked economically , with information , using hi-tech weapons , psychologically anything than conventionally. Media is not covering that, I think that is why he is there.

https://www.veteranstoday.com/2015/10/23/vladimir-putin-is-morally-and-intellectually-destroying-the-new-world-order/
http://speisa.com/modules/articles/index.php/item.508/putin-the-builders-of-the-new-world-order-have-failed.html

We will see what is going to happen now with this new escalation of things around Syria.