I don't think it's necessarily indicative that Russians are morally and ethically deficient as much as it's symptomatic of three or four generations of society who have been living turtle like lives where a horrific thing happening to someone else inspires a relief that thing isn't happening to themselves. The Soviet regime survived because Stalin conditioned the people to mind their own business and not trust anyone even their own families. Until this mindset somehow changes, Russia will be ruled by horrible dictators and oligarchs.