Sanctions are definitely the reason for this. Normally Putin is a dictator, so that means he would not want something as decentralized as Bitcoin to exist in his nation and would prefer to ban it, but even if not ban it, regulate it heavily. But considering western nations are focusing on sanctions, that means not only Russians are having trouble selling their stuff and using anything else for payment, and also there are many oligarchs who are rich enough that they want to bring their money back, to avoid sanctions and asset freeze. So that is why I think its clear that we are seeing Russia putting crypto in a good light for them.
The analysis you have made is quite logical and highlights an important aspect about Russia's position in the current global geopolitical context. Russia, especially under Putin, has long emphasized central control and a state-run economic structure. Naturally, this can be uncomfortable for an authoritarian government, with a decentralized and out-of-control technology like cryptocurrency. However, you rightly point out that Western sanctions have forced Russia to look for an alternative path. The impact of sanctions on the Russian economy has been massive. As a result, cryptocurrency has emerged as an attractive alternative, which can serve as a means of circumventing sanctions. This is especially true of wealthy individuals and oligarchs, who may use cryptocurrencies to protect their wealth and carry out international transactions.