There were quite a few allegations that Russia interfered, or at least tried to interfere, with the 2016 US presidential election, and new allegations have started to appear that similar interference in the 2020 election may have started or will soon start. Reams and reams have been published about the evidence for or against these allegations, debates over the fundamental definition of election interference and whether the supposed evidence fits such definition, and what an appropriate penalty for proven electoral interference should be. This question is not about any of that.
What would Russia have to gain from interfering with the US election in 2016? Was there an issue of military superiority? Obtaining favorable trade agreements? Coercing a reduction in tariffs? Getting their embassy moved to a better DC neighborhood? Intimidating other countries with their mad leet election interference skills?
Again, to be clear, I'm not asking about whether any interference did happen, only what benefits other than "street cred" would be likely obtained by doing so.