Actually the truth is far more complex.
Russia has a 13% flat tax as opposed to the US draconian tax rules based on mile high rules that cater to every special interest who ever asked for favors. Unlike us, Russia exploits its God given natural resources and its economy is far healthier than ours at present.
Also your point about the Eastern Europeans-—I submit that even after the horrors of living under a Soviet marxist era the people have turned to their Christian roots and are far more ardently Christian than the wishy washy Christianity of this nation or their cousins in Western Europe.
Finally, Ukrainians were ruled by a Ukrainian Communist party - ethnic Ukranians. Russia was ruled by a Soviet communist party, the Poles under the Polish commies etc etc. These communists did not believe in ethnicity - they were soviets. The Russian non communist people suffered more under the communist system than any other ethnic groups except possibly the Chinese.
As for the Greeks—after causing Hitler a ton of trouble - they fought a 5 year bloody civil war to oust the communists after WWII. Their economic woes are made possible courtesy of membership into the EU - a flawed an immoral cabal. That as well as a so called conservative govt which was as corrupt as any to be had with Socialists. Sound familiar?
What good is a low tax when Putin can tax you 100% of your assets by confiscating them?