No, it's not a Russia specific problem, but Russia's issues are exacerbated because it doesn't have the same English literacy level of Western Europe and there

No, it's not a Russia specific problem, but Russia's issues are exacerbated because it doesn't have the same English literacy level of Western Europe and there is also not a robust Russian language media presence outside of Russia to serve as a counterbalance. Contrast with Mandarin, where there are robust media systems in both the PRC and Taiwan. There is an alternative media source for those with the will to seek it out, and even if only a few people seek it out, that information diffuses. This is why Russia doesn’t feel the need to censor the internet as aggressively as China or North Korea - language acts as a natural information barrier.