Questions about figure skating as a newbie

Brace with me y’all! I just got into watching figure skating and I have like zero clue about proper technique and all that. I only really watched it on the Olympics since like 2010 and didn’t really get super into it until recently. I’ve had so many burning questions about this community and I would love answers/a discussion

1.) I’ll get the big one that’s probably gonna make everyone mad at me outta the way. The Russians. Now keep in mind I cannot tell what’s good technique and what’s not good technique. But I swear people on this sub make the Russians seem insanely bad at skating. I understand coaches like Eteri have bad teaching methods and overwork the students, but if the Russians have such bad technique, why do they win? I get like biases and what not, but like how do they win if they have bad technique and bad artistry? I’m not trying to defend the Russians, I just don’t understand how they would win so often if they weren’t really that good. Are they that good and are people overly critical? Or are figure skating judges really that corrupt and biased towards Russia and especially the Eteri girls? I love some of the Russian skaters, with Anna Shcherbakova being my personal fav, and I’ve never understood why everyone says she has bad technique when she looks so pretty on the ice to me. Please don’t bash me for this one, I seriously just don’t understand.

2.) I don’t understand the ultra C elements debate. I get like base value and everything, but are ultra c elements really that big of an advantage? If they are then how did Kaori place third at the Olympics with no quads or triple axels? Why didn’t Higuchi place higher with her triple axel? I remember Anna Shcherbakova getting crapped all over for not having any ultra c elements at the 2022 Russian nationals, but yet placing 3rd. I still am trying to figure out how scoring works, so I would love any clarification on how ultra c elements work and if it really gives skaters that much of a boost.

TL/DR: 1.) why did Russia place so well if their technique and artistry isn’t good? 2.) Does an Ultra C element really give you that large of an advantage?