That is just not going to work. At some point you need to be overtaking the leader with your own abilities instead of lying and cheating your way to 1st. The theme fits Russia very well: Russia can build out hundreds of AI DCs, missile + drone R&D, and build-out their own Silicon Valley adjacent to a military industrial-complex. There is no secret formula to it. They were even 1st to space, 1st to Venus. They have the talent. They have the ability. But because of corruption and poor planning, they continue to latch onto their former glory of spies and stealth. It's just not going to work twice.