He is certainly a Putin fan:
https://www.itv.com/news/update/2014...n-as-a-leader/
He may not want to share a fag and a pint with Putin, and he may not agree with all of Putin's mafia and crony capitalist policies (or claims he doesn't) but he rates him as the top political operator around at the moment.
Farage also loves Trump. And Trump has had a bromance and political collaboration with Putin for a decade.