[camacazio]

I agree fully. Russia's current problems mostly lie within the mass control of the Russian mafia, though. The SU's technological advances were not nearly as impressive as the US's, though they did manage to make a few decent things, but it was mostly in space. Most of the technological developments throughout the cold war were mostly due to competition with the SU, so indirectly they did cause plenty of advancements.

Russia has always been a screwed up place. It's difficult to expect much from them.