Andy,
Russian Gen II is equivalent of American Gen I. For novelty, go ahead and buy it. However, for any sort of tactical or even pseudo-tactical use, I recommend saving your money and buying yourself a flashlight and some training.
Russian NV typically has distorted images with the grainy effect that you describe. Their image intensifier tubes have an unpredictable lifespan, and are of low quality. For the NV to be of any use, it will require an IR light source that you describe. IR light sources, especially bright ones, very frequently have a faint dull red glow to the naked eye. This is normal.
My recommendation: save your money. If you want real NV, wait and buy a REAL Gen II by ITT.
Tim
http://www.streetpro.com
Street Smart Professional Equipment