There's always the "play the whole game with a superior capital 2 tiles away then settle Moscow 2 tiles away before victory" strat,
which is something the Russian UHV has going for it that the French & Russian ones really can't.
Has the Russian UHV been changed from 1.11? I definitely think it's time to release 1.12 already; it's getting too unfamiliar.
I just give Moscow wheat 1W, put a flood plains on the horses 1E, and get rid of most of the hills southwest to compensate.