Following questions are just that; not in any sense implied judgment:
1. ARE THE RUSSIAN ALTIMETERS IN METERS OR FEET? (5th time?)
2. Do Russians still use radio operators (as was the case with the Delhi collision a few years ago) that 'translate' radio calls to non-English speaking pilots?
3. Granting tremendous improvement in Russian English; with the new RVSM flight levels (FL 360, 340, etc) possibly causing delay in understanding due to newness of numbers, AND having to translate these numbers to meters (again new numbers), AND possibly having to go thru a radio operator/translator, the possibility for delay in understanding & compliance is there. Combined with a late call by ATC for a descent, a possible chain exists. Again I say POSSIBLE; just speculation.
4. (6th time) DO RUSSIAN ALTIMETERS USE METERS OR FEET?