.ru or the greatness of a Nation

I just came back from a lovely trip in Russia.
This is my first day and first time visit to the land of Vladimir Ilitch Oulianov. The cab is driving us from Domodedovo Airport to our Hotel, my eyes are wide open trying to record every detail around me. The one thing that immediately catches my attention is the web addresses displayed in the different advertising hoardings on the streets of Moscow.
Every single Ad is complemented by an internet reference, and every single internet reference is a ".ru" website... for any product... any brand...

So I wonder, no dot com at all. How is it possible? Can a ".ru" be more attractive than a ".com"?
Then i suddenly realize, this is not like just any trip, this is my official visit to the ex great USSR. A Nation that used to live completely isolated from the rest of the World.
I contemplate the hundreds of ".ru" web addresses and I admire all these russians entrepreneurs who have the confidence to choose a ".ru" address for their business on the Net, as if they dont need to target anything more then the local consumers, as if they dont even mind looking outside Russia.