Czar Peter spent a lot of time bringing the Russians up to European snuff. This was later reflected by their Navy (and St. Petersburg of course.) It allowed the Russians to fight the Chrimean wars. Even though they lost, it proved to the world that Russia could take on the major European empires (France won in particular here, but it was not the only one on the allied side fighting.)
One of the reasons Russia was treated as an honorable ally was their industrial power. Were they an actual ally in world war 2? I’d argue they were not, but we digress.
I point these out because I do not think America would have faired any better invading Arkhangelsk in the 1950s than they did invading Arkhangelsk in the 1920s. Russia is vast, industrialized, hardened after many battles and harsh living conditions, and as fiercly patriotic as many Americans. IMNSHO.