Yes, it does get cold (if you are concerned about global warming, come to Russia in winter) but summers can be scorchingly hot, with spring and autumn seeming to last only a few weeks. However, buildings are well heated, often excessively so and it's a drier colg than in Europe, so if you wrap up in appropriate clothing, you'll be fine.
Sure, a lot of vodka gets drunk, although beer has in fact ivertaken the clear stuff as Russians' choice of tipple and wine and cocktails are increasing in popularity amongst the middle classes. Granted, there may not be many abstainers and Russians still refer to vodka as 'water of life' but there is more sobriety than you might think.
Stories about fabled Russian mafia might make great headliness for lazy journalists but the days of shootouts in broad daylight and kiosks being blown up are long gone, and were in fact hightly exaggerated in the first place. The centre of Moscow or St Peterburg is probably safer than your hometown at nignt.
If you travel on the metro in the mornings, you'll certanly see many glum faces and yes, it's rare for Russians to smile for no reason. Why? Some blame a combination of the poor weather, at least in the winter, a turbulent history and difficult living conditions for mist, even today. There is another explanation, that Russians view someone with a perminent smile as somewhat akin to the village idiot, and smiling without a reason is deemed insincere. If someone doesn't smile at you, it doesn't mean that they don't like you (don't take offense - it's nothing personal), but if they do smile, then chances are that you've made a favourable impression on them.
Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, as do nearby Belarus, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Tadjikistan, Mongolia and parts of former Yugoslavia.It's much less daunting than it fiesrt appears (some of the letters are the same, or similar to their Latin equivalents) and Englush language signature is on the increase, particulary in Moscow, St Petersbourg and other places where foreigners may venture.