this is greater than the maximum extent of the russian empire, but it is less than the warsaw pact countries (excluding finland, which was in the russian empire at it's max extent but not in the warsaw pact), which actually gave russia a series of buffer states on the other side of the carpathians, and to the west of the vistula.
if it was not for nato expansion, russia would consider this to be the region it seeks to control in order to ensure it's defenses. the natural boundaries of the carpathians, together with the vistula, would give russia a defensible boundary. the world's a shitty place, and you have to acknowledge the logic, even if you don't like the tactics.
as it is, nato did expand, and the idea of russia moving into the baltics, into poland or into romania and bulgaria is currently outside of the realm of russan military capability. the russians are crazy to be sending drones into poland and romania, and that provocative action should be condemned.
however, it's important that people understand what they're doing. that map explains what they're doing, and it's been at the core of russsian defense policy for centuries. it's sort of well understood that the russians would not be likely to expend resources on protecting areas east of the urals, either.