Climbing from FL260 to fl360 is as per Rome / Zurich ACC letter of aggreement. Flight was departing from Rome FIR hence climbing to Fl260. Really don't think the russians made it up.
As for the 20 percent cut in capacity, Kudos to skyguide on this one. The controllers are under very real additional stress. Their collective future might be on the line here. Remember that Syguide exists both in Zurich and Geneva due to delegated foreign airspace.