as a Romanian, I feel you
On the other hand I started to appreciate way more the way the English do it once I moved there for a while and worked closely with them - they tell you what's wrong, but really nuanced and careful as to not openly offend. But it takes a bit of practice and skill to understand what's actually being said, and once you have the skill and understanding, you can correct things without openly offending anybody.
Oh yes, it's a bit like a dance sometimes. While fun, it does feel inefficient and inconvenient
They had your best interests at heart even if it might not have come across that way. I'm glad you figured that out back then and the relation didn't turn sour!
I personally haven't met many Russians, but many Romanians seem to share this trait as well