I haven't read most of the thread so I apologise if it's already been mentioned, I just remembered something else that annoyed me about Russia:

Why do all the houses and flats have so many bloody doors?

I mean, in a block of flats you need to go through a door at street level, then a secure entry door inside, then when you get to the flat you have two front doors, back to back, one opening out the way and one opening in the way. And houses are even worse, an outside front door (or two) from the garden into a little unheated entry hall, then another door to get into the house proper (and another little hall, this time a heated one), then yet another frikkin door to get into the main living space. And it doesn't even end there. Got an L or T-shaped hall between the rooms? No problem, just take that opportunity to install yet another door and partition off the living space still further.

Geez, anyone would think Russia had problems with petty crime and harsh winters....