No, we have it in the states as well, see: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/01/business/as-pay-cards-rep.... Basically what happens is that you don't get a paycheck or deposit to your account. Instead, you get your pay deposited to a debit card, which you can then use to withdraw money or transfer to your own account. Since the account is technically controlled by the company and not you, it's easier for them to seize your money. It probably doesn't help that russia has high corruption and low consumer protection.
More business from companies issuing debit cards for employees. Often such banks are like 3rd tier ones, or complete hole-in-the-wall establishments. Such accounts almost always have near zero interest, or/are laden with high fees for every thing imaginable.
> Either that's not a full story, or Russia has some _interesting_ banking system.
Russia has a very interesting banking system indeed. If organised crime effectively makes a double digit of country's GDP, what else did you expect?
Here a card is tied to your bank account but is in no way your account and absolutely not the only way to access your money. Companies only know your account mumber to transfer funds to and sure as hell they have no other access to accounts. It is also hard to imagine why would any bank to want to "play along".