Today I was checking out Russian "highways" and cities on Google Maps and Street View, and it was as depressing as one could expect, but one city really surprised me with the uniquely high level of infrastructure and architecture and vibe (for Russian standards).
That city is Khanty-Mansiysk. The first thing that struck me was that it has raised curbs everywhere and proper sidewalks--instead of the same asphalt on the same level as the street separated only by a worn-out patch of grass (a constant in Russia).
Then I was amazed by the rest of the infrastructure, sewers and proper drains everywhere, well-kept road markings, and the city being walkable with the buildings being human-sized and not inhumanely monstrously big, and the distances between buildings being normal, too. I was additionally surprised by the varied and nice (for Russian standards) architecture--in almost all of Russia it's very samey, cookie-cutter Soviet or neo-Soviet commieblock stuff. Also the facades are renovated/new, at the very least all the facades are CLEAN.

I recommend you to check out Khanty-Mansiysk on GSV yourself, you won't be disappointed.
Russian anons, do you know of Khanty-Mansiysk?