Russia is stronger now vis a vis world powers than they were during the Cold War. The reason is that both sides disarmed, the US much more so.
Don’t trust Russia. They are very much part of the cause of what happened the last few years (and not the Trump Russia stuff, that was coordinated between Russia and the Dems to cover each other’s tracks). And they support Democrats and Communists.
They're just being oppotunistic, we gave them the opening, and they're taking it.