Fiction Adaptation Unit- Why Russia?

As I have been developing my main character's persona and drafting up ideas for the kinds of settings I want to use in my fiction adaptation film, I have become increasingly aware that some people may be confused as to why I have decided to set my film in Russia, and why my main character; Viktor is Russian.
The reasoning behind this is- in my mind at least- sound.

The popular portrayal of modern-day Russia in the Western world, is that of a very grey, cold, dull, environment, with minimal technology and a government which has an iron grip on the way the people of Russia live. Although this couldn't be further from the truth, as Russia is home to some of the most fantastic architecture and large rural areas, it is still portrayed this way in some films and television programs.
Something I noticed while researching some of the more Urban areas of Russia was that some of the streets and such look a lot like the area in which I am currently living in Rochester. Rochester is a very diverse place in terms of the kinds of buildings there, with some buildings looking futuristic and modern, and others looking quite run-down and old. If filmed in a correct way, I believe I could have it pass off as Russia if I were to make sure not to catch any English writing in my film or any landmarks that clearly show the film as being shot in England.

So, why Russia in particular and not somewhere else in the world?
Well, aside from some parts of Russia looking like certain parts of Rochester, I found it hard to picture a war taking place in England. The streets of England, and the busy Urban vibe I am used to make it difficult for me to imagine what it would be like for a war to take place on the streets which are usually chaotic, but chaotic in a different way to the one war provides.
However, I have seen multiple online videos of riots and bombings happening in Russia, and the country has appeared multiple times in media due to involvements in hostile take-overs of land and potential wars as of late.
Therefore the possibility of wars taking place on the streets of Russia is something I don't find especially hard to imagine, and there are plenty of online resources for me to collect and investigate which I could relate to this project.