i dont think any real life russian refers to other people as comrades (in english) and товарищ besides military settings or something id only expect being used jokingly
I've read in a Russian language book that it used to be commonplace in formal speeches and other highly formal settings in Soviet times, but after the fall of the Soviet Union, it's not used any more in favor of the typical formal talk.
Thing is "comrade" isn't used all too commonly in Россия these days, товарищ. It's just the more boring "sir" and "madam".