I think people tend to confuse Russian irredentism with wanting to bring back communism when all they really want is the USSR's borders. Which were, mind you, largely the Russian Empire's borders.
If the Russian oligarchy is going to force a return to their roots I feel like they'd just bring back the monarchy.
There certainly is a socialist movement in Russia that wouldn't mind returning to a socialist state but there are very few who actually want to return to a totalitarian one, and if it's not totalitarian it's not really what people mean by the USSR, is it?
it's not like modern Russia particularly objects to the idea
Here is correction for you: it's not like Putin objects to the image of empire.
But he don't want everything else that came with USSR like good schools, good hospitals, good wages for teachers and doctors, housing for everyone. Because money spent on anything above is money not spent on his yacht.
You know who Ukraine is at war with don't you? Obviously the flag is representing them. Surprised I needed to spell it out, it was already drawn in crayons for you.