There is a phrase in Russia, :) "But in USA they lynch people". The idea is that in Russia it's often that discussion is interrupted by listing the ills of America, to avoid talking about Russia or for other reasons, so it's easy to justify pointing fingers to "the real evil".
I think you're wrong and your arguments are misplaced.
The phrase "never stopped the expansion eastwards" suggests that you don't see e.g. Slovenia as an interested party to join NATO, for whatever reason they chose, and instead see it as an evidence of guilt.
> Stalinist USSR and Nazi germany ... apply to that definition... even less Russia since it is a de jure democracy.
Current Russian laws mean little to define Russia de facto. Just like Hitler laws meant little at the time.
There is a huge difference between real totalitarian state and present day Russia. In present day, there are less than 100 people have been imprisoned for "political" reasons (for violating foreign agent law or for violating army fakes law). It's widely discussed and criticised in Russian national media.
In 1937 alone something like 700000 people were executed by Stalin's NKVD, and millions were imprisoned. If I wrote comment like this, it surely leads to my imprisonment. That was totalitarian state, state when you are afraid to speak freely with your own family. Current Russian regime is nothing like that.
Legal status is the difference between a totalitarian and authoritarian state.
I think US did enough divide and conquer and meddling to help bringing back an authoritarian government.
Anyway, totalitarian has a specific meaning, not a random one, it's a government that holds total control on all powers in a country. Stalinist USSR and Nazi germany (modern eritrea and north korea) apply to that definition, Italian or spanish fascisms do not (in both the head of state was the king), even less Russia since it is a de jure democracy.