Russia is an interesting case, and most scholars of race do not think that Russians are white in any sociological sense, because white supremacists don't consider them white and they aren't treated as "white people" by white people. They are "asiatic" to racists. Their skin is, on average, fairly white. But that was never what being white meant, or at least people who claimed so were never consistent about it in history (people whiter than many white people but with black ancestors weren't white for example, and fair skinned Asian people also aren't white despite being lighter in skin tone). Whiteness is a category of exclusion
Isn't Russia being criticised for similar authoritarian practices despite them being white (at least the people in power, anyways)?
Russia is an interesting case, and most scholars of race do not think that Russians are white in any sociological sense, because white supremacists don't consider them white and they aren't treated as "white people" by white people. They are "asiatic" to racists. Their skin is, on average, fairly white. But that was never what being white meant, or at least people who claimed so were never consistent about it in history (people whiter than many white people but with black ancestors weren't white for example, and fair skinned Asian people also aren't white despite being lighter in skin tone). Whiteness is a category of exclusion