I would assume that under "minor politicians" the author means that if hypothetically tomorrow Putin disappears, they still won't get any real power. Except if someone from current elite for some personal reasons decides to use them as a popular figure among Russian minority for keeping own power. Moreover, some people are born to always stay in opposition.

It seems that by now everyone indeed sees that taking away western commodities from Russians won’t change their stance on Putin and War in Ukraine. Which is sad of course, but not because sanctions did not work, but because it did reveal that a majority of Russians are ok with this imperialistic attitude. And under imperialistic attitude, I don’t mean they support the current war or Putin by default, but rather that they see themselves as an entitled nation, while the rest of their neighbours as lesser or secondary countries. The simplest example – most of Russian “whataboutism” is about USA. Doesn’t matter where the other person lives – “but what about America”.

This also raises a question – would not having sanctions stopped the war or only encouraged even more hostile behaviour against smaller countries?

Of course there is a certain percentage of Russians who share western values, but they are by far a minority. Less than 30% of Russians own an external passport for travelling abroad, and even less have travelled to any western country, and even less have actually appreciated the way of life in those countries, and even less have appreciated a way of life in smaller European countries.