I think show went all the way downhill after that Russian escaped from Ton't men, and show never picked up on what fans were waiting for, the Russian leaders reprisal. They just let it go, ignored it, as if it never happened.
I don't know why so many people expected something involving this Russian guy would happen after Pine Barrens episode. That Russian mob boss Slava seemed too smart to seek revenge if Valery survived and "told the story", and if he didn't survive he could never possibly know who was responsible.
It's just like in life, you sometimes get in strange random situations that have no follow-ups later.
One of the mayor themes in the show was how gangsters live on the edge and for today. They never know what could happen the next day, they could be busted by the feds or killed by one of the many people who have motives to kill them. As we, the fans, wait for this Russian guy to come out of nowhere and kills someone, we're basically in some way experiencing these same feelings that the mobsters have. You don't think about it every minute while you're watching the series, but the "threat" is always there.
