Is this a step towards accepting crypto in Russia? I seriously doubt it.
We have been seeing a lot of news lately coming from Russia regarding crypto currency lately, but they all contradicts themselves. You will see that they hate bitcoin, then suddenly making a U-turn saying that they will put up a mining farm because they have a surplus of energy. Everything that comes out of Russia regarding crypto's, I would always take it with a grain of salt. And I don't think that the government would allow something that is decentralized like bitcoin, we all know they are authoritarian so they want to control everything which the design of bitcoin does not point to a single authority. Unless I see a official announcement coming from the government, for me they are still anti-bitcoin.
I'm from Russia, but I'm just like you - very skeptical to all crypto news from our country. To me all that promises and plans look like a peacock when behind the rich and beautiful tale hidden an ordinary chicken's ass. Russia wants to be on the first place about crypto-currencies the same as with the weapon. But our government just has not enough brain to organize everything right and correct, so they are just talking and talking. I'm already tired to wait that something will happen, but everything I hear is just a promises.