"There is a lot of crime in Thailand related to the Russian mafia" - Yes, abroad, Russians sometimes cause trouble. But in Russia, as a rule, Russians are more likely to help (give food, money, let you stay overnight) than beat you up and rob you. But those same mountain people might just stab you on the street. So, Russians don't bother me. I don't see them as a threat.
I troll people in Orthodox churches and haven't been punched in the face even once!
Recently, I was talking to a guy whose son lives in China and who visits him there quite often. I got the impression that it is safe everywhere in China, with the exception of areas where Muslim diasporas have settled (there are plenty of them there).
In general, I looked at various rankings on the internet, and the safest city in Russia is considered to be... Grozny - the capital of Chechnya. :eek: