Has Putin actually said he wants to reestablish the Soviet Union/Russian empire?

Poll of the Day

Here's a question. What will happen when it turns on Belarus? I mean, if their goal is to restore the USSR it's gonna have to take it. At the same time they've basically been acting as Russia's puppet. So are they gonna, like, suddenly go 'we want to join Russia!'? Plus what about the soviet satellite nations? You know, the ones that weren't part of the USSR but were basically controlled by them? Especially since ones like Poland are now part of NATO and/or don't want to rejoin?
No more shall man have wings to bear him to paradise. Henceforth, he shall walk. - Venat