Personally, I think Russia gets way to much hate from both the Right and Left.
The US would never have gotten free of Britain if the Russian monarchy hadn't sided with us, along side France.
And the US wouldn't have near the power in the Pacific or as many natural resources without Alaska. Russia sold it to us cheap to keep Britian from trying to poach it during unrest.
With the BS the Clinton's and other Cold Warriors have pulled since the Berlin Wall came down, I'm not blaming them for feeling the US is out to get them. I'd prefer the US to work with Russia to conquer the stars, rather than bicker over old grudges.
Even the shit going on in the Ukraine is only happening because the border between Ukraine and Russia was modified by Gorbachev during the late USSR years.
Not to say they are innocent babes, but they are far more like the US than many are comfortable admitting.