I can believe it! I do judo with a Russian and it's interesting the difference between how others talk about Russia and knowing even a single actual Russian. I should be clearer that I'm describing the Russian government, not actual Russians, my apologies.
As to the point - the only explanation offered that really makes sense to me is that it's an extension of the arguments that a number of governments are having around the various vaccines. The Russian government is in conflict with e.g. Brazil around the Sputnik vaccine. The Chinese government has been suggesting it will only allow travel to China from people who have been vaccinated with a Chinese-developed vaccine, not any others. And, of course, there is the ongoing argument over the patent status of a number of the European and US vaccines.