Haha I was on a similar train trip around the same time... my Russian was practically nonexistent but enough to answer the drunk dude who was staying in the same sleeper car when he asked where I was from. Then he made loud angry comments about the USA and the Russian woman in there with us got in an argument with him and he left to go drink some more, muttering under his breath.
She spoke a bit of English and wouldn't tell me what he said, but her assurances that 'we all don't think that' gave me a hint.
I slept with my passport and wallet in my pillow case that night.
Sounds like your 'Russian life' experience was more positive, or maybe you didn't go for the 'shared sleeper car' option