If you can sift through the bullshit, there's a LOT of good content - especially in the finance space - that you simply cannot find anywhere else.
I have not seen a lot of content about Russia - and when it's there, it's not flattering - so I'm not sure why you think it has a specific Russia slant.
The thing with ZH is you need a good BS filter.
Independent thinking and drawing your own conclusions from lecture is too painfull for most people...
As for Russia influence ZH is very much dead set against US troops and weapons close to Russias borders (Baltic States, Central Europe). This is exactly Russian line. But perhaps ZH genuinely wish for world peace...
That content is usually not available to people unless you spend tons of money with those firms.
And yes, a BS filter definitely is needed, and I've found reading through a newsreader makes that much, much easier.
Sadly, these days that's as true with NYT, WaPo, etc. One of the reasons that sites like ZH have become more popular is that the "papers of record" have abandoned their historic standards.