Competence isn't rewarded. It is only a threat. Any attempt to change the system, improve it, will be immediately strangled in the crib by those exploiting the Russian system.

It will fail catastrophically with time, everything in Russia always has, even if the same type of people remain. I'm not saying THERE MUST ALWAYS BE A PUTIN, but there has always been a Putin. Historically, the current one only got as bad as the previous ones in 2022- the historical meme "and then it got worse" of Russia is very much true.

In the meantime, Russians will suffer on the Russia, as they always have. But they do it willingly and with pride so its OK. Every people on this planet gets exactly the type of government and society they deserve.