The "Russian" elite turned out to be at the level of African Botswana in terms of quality.
with other words S Brin is 100% right
https://balthazarkorab.com/2020/09/03/the-russian-elite-in-quality-has-slipped-to-the-african/
https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/260885/1/Elite_Report.pdf