> Russia is still more democratic than many of the US’s allies
Russia is an authoritarian dictatorship with the same guy ruling for 21 years and counting. Which allies did you meant?
> and certainly more democratic than it was under Yeltsin
Under Yeltsin they had freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, separation of powers, state-independent business including large corporations, the federation, and independent press. Putin dismantled all of the above.
> a physics paper from China or Soviet Russia would not automatically be regarded as suspect
Russia is an authoritarian dictatorship with the same guy ruling for 21 years and counting. Which allies did you meant?
> and certainly more democratic than it was under Yeltsin
Under Yeltsin they had freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, separation of powers, state-independent business including large corporations, the federation, and independent press. Putin dismantled all of the above.
> a physics paper from China or Soviet Russia would not automatically be regarded as suspect
Russian government was caught cheating with doping tests of athletes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_in_Russia