Other than the accusations that the other poster made (which I've heard as well), I wouldn't consider him a model expat. First, he essentially speaks Cave Russian (Morning! Taxi how much?) despite living there for decades.

The other more concerning thing, is this clueless chipper tourist act he does constantly - many times, I've seen him interview desperate, bitter, destitute people who lived in derelict former industrial centers of the USSR, telling stories of how their towns were the centers of industry, culture, activity - only for the factories to shut down, the opportunities disappear, the buildings turn to slums, and the only escape that remained was drinking.

And he just grills them question after question - and grins like a five year old at his first time at the zoo. It made me think something is very wrong with that man.