I think a lot of us occasionally fall back on reflex (Cold War) anti-Russian (or anti-American) responses.  It's a human failing.  As long as there are people to point out the fallacy, all's well.  Besides which it's a very easy political point for western leaders to score, and fear seems to be the political currency of choice in the UK at present.  This does not make for a well informed, rational debate about the choices that country faces, and the media are doing precisely nothing to improve the level of debate - as regularly demonstrated here.

Your comments on expats (I am one) struck a chord: how is it possible, and efficient for these pay differentials to exist?  Is local labour so completely disadvantaged in the wage bargaining process, and why does the same not apply to expats doing the same jobs?  

I will eventually get round to writing a diary on the analogous situation in Azerbaijan, where labour unrest has started to become a prominent factor in the oil extraction business.