Russia doesn’t really have the power of the Soviet Union, they are a relatively small country, smaller in military strength than Iran for example and very much dependent on their old satellite states that are now independent nations. Not sure why people still care about them that much, Putin just makes himself look bigger than he is and the US for most of the time (under Obama and Biden) is simply letting him by taking down sanctions by their respective predecessors.
Biden allowing Nordstream 2 to go forward was basically the end for Ukraine as it bypasses their control on oil from Russia to Europe, Biden did it to please Germany that due to their own failed energy programs have become wholly dependent on Russia. Obama did the same when he said that Russia is no longer our Cold War enemy but instead was our friend, refused to help Ukraine and Russia simply invaded because he was afraid of another conflict.
Russia never changed, Putin is a result of the KGB, they lost their satellite states but for all intents and purposes they still have ambitions to restart an empire.