And what about oil? The Russian economy rises and falls on the price of oil and gas. When oil reaches $30 a barrel their economy is in crisis. Clinton would have continued Obama’s war on fossil fuels. Her comments on coal helped her lose the election. But Trump, from the opening of his campaign has been “drill baby drill.” Even if Putin did dislike Hillary, he wouldn't endanger Russia's economic survival on a petty personality conflict.
If anyone recalls, the original intelligence assessments regarding Russian interference in the US election concluded that the Russian’s purpose was not to benefit one candidate over the other. Instead, the purpose was to disrupt US politics and thereby weaken us.
In that, with the help of the “useful idiot” Democrats, they are succeeding.
To understand why the Russians would adopt such efforts is not difficult. They are working from a quite weak position, with their only real strengths being their nuclear arms, and petroleum exports. Yes, they have a considerable conventional force too, but, being such a relatively weak economy, they are hard pressed to sustain it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures
I’ve read estimates that, by 2020, Russia could fall 3 or 4 notches down that list... This is at least partially because so much oil and natural gas is being found that Russia’s share of the market may declining. Yes, there are plans for increased sales to China, but, realistically, if oil stays at ~$50 / barrel, the Russians are in deep doo-doo. The Chinese will buy at prevailing prices...
Now, if you are the Russians in 2016 watching Trump march toward the nomination, if Trump wins, and pushes through his agenda, that economic scenario gets worse. If Hillary wins, she continues lighting fires all over the place, straining scarce military money. Does she care about results like 400,000 dead in Syria? Are you kidding?
So, the best bet for the Russians would be to act as a disruptor, weakening whoever wins the US Presidency, creating internal strife, and so on. In this they have moved brilliantly, easily coopting the Dems, now that Trump is in Office.
The question is, do we, and Trump, keep the Trump Presidency on track? If yes, no earthly force can defeat this country for at least the next several years.