Russia has an economy smaller than Italy and fewer people than Germany + France. To have any aspirations as a global power, it needs to double up on everything it's got.
> it needs to double up on everything it's got
Fixing things have always been costly.
The concept freedom & democracy as understood in the west is... just a concept of western cultures. It is still rather new, just ~200 years old, albeit very interesting, indeed. I personally enjoy it, but I genuinely don't know if it's durable and good for masses.
The race is long and the end open.
Not to mention a heavily self-serving hypocritical concept, as they were the first to have 2 world wars, billions of people non-voting second class citizens / working slaves in their colonies, meddling with foreign governments, being best pals with dictators in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and so on...
The concern is all theater...