Probably not if they would have seriously entertained a primary run against POTUS. That said, we are dealing with snakes who like to say "we considered making this person a part of it" while writing an article about how someone else planned the ordeal. So, be careful how much stock you place in it.
Nah, just Russia doing Russia things. The media is just able to cover live what it usually couldn't 40 years ago. We send up our fighters to go say hello to their bombers, who are just up there to remind us that Russia exists. Then their fighters come up to let us know they see our bombers and offer them a friendly escort.
Sure, there's some saber rattling here and there. No one wants to chicken out when representing their country - but it's mutually understood that we don't really care to kill each other.
… What do they expect to find? Surely, if they were investigating some kind of criminal activity, they could subpoena the IRS and state for the records.
Complete violation of the fifth amendment, here.