[...]
bitcoin is a foreign project for using blockchain technology, the Russian law will never consider bitcoin as a legal entity in the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. However, I think that it is quite possible to use blockchain technology and the use of various digital tokens.
[...]
Translation: "We missed the train with Bitcoin, but we see that there is money to be made, so we want in."
On a more serious note, it will be interesting to see how Russia will handle Bitcoin. Sooner or later they will
need to provide a regulatory framework for their citizens, regardless of whether they "legally recognize" Bitcoin or not. At which point it will be merely a semantic question if and how they recognize cryptocurrencies.