Why do Russians want to name Godless Street after Trump?

It took three hours to reach this rough and ready looking street, in a Russian city called Ryazan.

Graceless, oversized apartment blocks line one side of the snow-swept track - while the other side is dotted with crumbling, wooden homes pre-dating Russia's 1917 revolution.

The only thing the Soviet-era seems to have contributed to this weary landscape is the name - "Godless Street" - Marxist-Leninist bureaucrats bestowing something of an honorific that few people seem to like.

A few months back a local historian and writer called Sergey Bizyukin came up with an idea he thought would liven things up in the town.

He tabled an online petition, urging the authorities to rename it Trump Street - a petition that has now won 270 signatures.

"He definitely is a very interesting character and talent," said Mr Bizyukin mirroring the effusive, 24/7 praise that government-controlled media has been heaping on the American billionaire's shoulders.

But this thoughtful academic is not simply flattering from afar. His petition is more like a hope-induced aspiration.

Like many educated Russians, Sergey is a citizen of an isolated and increasingly impoverished nation (the average monthly salary of £416 ($516) is lower than China and comparable with India) - and a healthy relationship with Mr Trump's America would come as a relief.

He said: "The reason to do this was to try and make Russia-US relations better. Many people are tired of all the aggressive propaganda - they would like to be friends and talk to US people - they want kinder, more positive relationship."

We went up and down Godless Street to see what the local residents thought and many sided with Mr Bizyukin.

"Trump says he is going to cancel Russian sanctions and he doesn't say stuff like (American Senator) John McCain - you know, that Russia is the enemy," said one man.

"He's got a face that I really like," said another, chuckling to himself.

The former KGB agent who runs the country also seems to agree.

President Vladimir Putin has fired off his own honorifics in Mr Trump's direction: "Very flamboyant and talented," he said at the closing stages of one press conference - "nobody believed he could win except for us," at another.

Of course the Russian leader may have offered more than just sweet-sounding words. US intelligence agencies say Mr Putin authorised a hacking and disinformation campaign designed to denigrate Hilary Clinton and put Mr Trump in the White House.

President Trump has certainly warmed to Mr Putin, listing a series of surprisingly pro-Russia pronouncements during the election campaign - including a pledge to drop economic sanctions imposed after the Russians annexed Crimea in 2014.

In fact, analysts think "Team Trump" is absolutely bristling to do geo-political deals with the Russians.

Commentator Anna Arutunyan said: "The often mutually contradictory statements coming out of Trump as his team signal they he is looking to cut a deal and what that deal is doesn't really matter as long as I have a deal… the point is let's do something lets have an agreement that we can wave around."

If you tot-up Mr Trump's utterances on the importance of "strong leadership" and criticisms of NATO, the EU and international cooperation more generally, it does appear that both men will find plenty to bond over.

Some analysts predict the new White House will sign-off on a multi-power world order with a Russian "sphere of influence" in eastern Europe and central Asia.

However, there are plenty of people in Russia who think this new-edition "special relationship" will never make it that far.

Ultra-nationalist leader Yevgeny Fyodorov (and elected member of Mr Putin's own United Russia party) says the whole thing will soon sour because Mr Trump's primary objective - making America great - will never be acceptable to the Russians.

He said: "Russia wants to change the world order from a 'uni' to 'multi-polar' world. Russia wants to be equal. Trump hasn't even said half a word to suggest he agrees (with that).

"It will be impossible to agree on the main question. This means a struggle, a rivalry that will intensify during Trump's presidency. In the end, the strongest side will win."

Mr Fyodorov here, predicting the speedy resumption of cold-war hostilities and those things that go with it - deepening isolation, massive military expenditure and the threat of nuclear war - as Russia discovers the "true nature" of an "America First" foreign policy.

What is clear is that negotiations between these long-time rivals will be hard-headed affairs undertaken by a group of men and women determined to put national interests first.

One wonders, if this unexpected reset is something Mr Putin may live to regret.

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