To call this a risky procedure would be an understatement, however -- venturing past a certain point raises the real possibility of bricking the device, and HTC's bootloader tool already puts limits on post-unlock support even when it's blessed by carriers.
So while I think Gabe is right that some sort of grand bargain in which Russia exchanges support for Syria for guarantees about American behavior in the post-Soviet space would be win-win, it will simply never happen unless the domestic political situation in the US changes beyond all recognition.
Face.com has been providing its service to a number of third-party developers and the company said in its blog post that it will continue to support those developers after the acquisition.