Russia was a 3rd world country during ww1 and ww2.

Stealing german scientists after ww2 gave them a boost to get them a space program and help them set up some industries, but russia peaked in those years. In the 60 and 70 when those german scientists had died, they have been going downhill ever since. The eurasian steppe people just arent capable of reproducing the technology that white men created.