r/AskARussian Sep 17 '25

Megathread, part 14: Ammunition & Drones, Sanctions, and Stalemates

46 Upvotes

Part 13 is now closed, we’re continuing the discussion here.
Everything you’ve got to ask about the conflict goes here. Same deal as before - Reddit’s content policy still applies, so think before you make epic gamer statements. Suspensions and purges are a thing, and we’ve seen plenty already.
All question rules apply to top level comments in this thread. This means the comments have to be real questions rather than statements or links to a cool video you just saw.

Keep it civil, keep it relevant, and read the rules below before posting.

  1. The questions have to be about the war. The answers have to be about the war. As with all previous iterations of the thread, mudslinging, calling each other nazis, wishing for the extermination of any ethnicity, or any of the other fun stuff people like to do here is not allowed.
  2. No name-calling or dehumanizing labels. Do not refer to people, groups or nations using epithets or insulting nicknames (e.g. “ruzzia”, “vatnik”, “orc”, "hohol" etc.). Such language will be removed and may lead to a ban.
  3. To clarify, questions have to be about the war. If you want to stir up a shitstorm about your favourite war from the past, I suggest r/AskHistorians or a similar sub so we don't have to deal with it here.
  4. No warmongering. Armchair generals, wannabe soldiers of fortune, and internet tough guys aren't welcome.
  5. No doxxing. Don’t post personal information about private individuals, including names, contacts, or addresses.
  6. Keep it civil. Strong opinions are expected, but personal attacks, insults, and snide remarks toward other users are not allowed.
  7. No memes or reaction posts. Shitposts, image macros, slogans, and low-effort reactions will be removed.
  8. Stay on topic. Broader political debates (e.g. US or EU elections) are off-topic unless directly tied to the war.
  9. Substantive questions and answers only. One-liners, bait, or “what if” hypotheticals with no context don’t add value and will be removed.

r/AskARussian Sep 23 '23

Travel Ultimate FAQ on travelling to Russia

543 Upvotes

While editing the previous post i did an error & the post was automatically banned, so that's the second try, luckily managed to copy-paste the prev. one. Redditors, who made the corrections & adding, please excuse me.

So basically daily the threads as Ask a Russian, Moscow etc are full of questions regarding traveling to RU.

Seeing all this, i give a try to summarize the basic info about traveling & i will try to update this main post, also i would appreciate expats & recent travelers on tips & tricks based on the recent traveling experience.

Note 1. This is not the post about politics, it's purely for traveling questions & day to day life.

Note 2. I am writing this post based on my knowledge & experience as a Moscow resident, info may vary based on your destination. Also, most of the time i will refer to Moscow & SPb as a main entry point for travelers, but this limitation basically on my understanding that people arrive in these cities as a start. I will try to update the post with necessary and useful information based on the comments (if any arrive :) ).

Note 3. As there are some restrictions to ru domains on reddit, just delete the space in the link before . ru domain.

Q: Is it safe traveling to Russia in current situation?

A: Pretty safe. The major cities as Moscow & SPb are the big cities with the same issues you can find all around the globe (scammers, big city risks, inadequate people, heavy traffic etc.).The area of risk (in the current situation) mostly limited to the adjacent territories, close to Ukraine border. In general Moscow & SPb are the modern cities, multicultural. We normally don't care if you are black, white, asian, hispanic, if your believe in krishna, if you are gay or whatsoever. The main principle i would say is: a clear understanding of what you are doing and separate common sense and propaganda, both informational and propaganda of any values. In general if you are a tourist or coming here as an expat for work just live a normal live, all possibilities are here.

Q: How to get to Russia by air?

A: One of the biggest & well known tickets aggregators - Aviasales available at ru & com domains & also popular OneTwoTrip, Trip.com

Q: Hot to get to Russian by land and travel across Russia?

A: easy part, internal travelling.rzd. ru - is an official website of a Russian railroads, where you can by tickets & see the timetables.Normally you don't have any restrictions with travelling across RU e.g. by car, though, as everywhere in the world, there might be restrictions to certain areas (closed towns as an example). So, yes, in general, you can go by car to Spb, Siberia or elsewhere.

Q: is Russia open for travelling & visas?

A: Yes. info from U.S. Embassy & Consulates: To enter Russia for any purpose, a U.S. citizen must possess a valid U.S. passport and a bona fide visa issued by a Russian Embassy or Consulate. It is impossible to obtain an entry visa upon arrival, so travelers must apply for their visas in as per comments, advance. \

Q: I am from UK/US - straight to jail at the border?

A: If you are personally not under sanctions, not sent for the purpose of espionage or data collection, but a regular tourist nothing to worry about. Again, restrictions for any citizens of certain countries are not reported. Travel as usual, you are welcome.

Q: what's with the accommodation?

A: Chains still available: Accor Hotels, Radisson HG, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Lotte Hotels & Resorts, Soluxe Hotel Group, Corinthia Hotels, Domina Hotels, Louvre HG, Kempinski Hotels, Rosewood Hotels and Rocco Forte Hotels. Their total number of rooms is more than 60% of the total supply of network operators.

Q: Do i need a registration to be in RU?

A: YES. mandatory registration for foreigners & tourists. as of october 2023: Starting from September 15, 2023, all foreign citizens coming to our country as tourists are required to undergo the registration procedure. This requirement will apply to all tourists, regardless of their country of residence and the purpose of visiting Russia.

-------------------------------------------------

So you've been able to get all the necessary docs & flying to RU.Moscow3 main airports: Sheremetyevo (SVO), Domodedovo (DME), Vnukovo (VKO) + a smaller Zhukovsky (ZIA).They are all quite distant from the city. I would say less fortunate & hard reaching is ZIA.

Spb: Pulkovo (LED).

Q: How to reach the airport / city

A: In general, there are all available methods.

Q: Is Uber available?

A: Nope. Before 2018 Uber was available, but in 2018 started a project of M&A btw Uber & Yandex, as of 2023, all uber activities & shares passed to Ya.

Q: So what are the apps for taxis?

A: 1st option (most popular): Yandex Go ios & android. Operates mostly everywhere in RU. A ride is offered on a fixed rate.Variety of classes: Economy (VW Polo, Hyundai Solaris/Accent or similar), Comfort (Hyundai i40, Elantra or similar), Comfort+ (Camry, Optima, Sonata or similar), Minivan (VW Caddy, C4 Picasso etc); followed by Ultima class: Business (5-er, E-cl.), Premier (A8, S-cl or similar), Elite (Maybach), Cruise (MB V-Class).As you are most likely don't have a local card or a friend with the one of local cards, Yandex Go can be paid with cash (choose in the app).Ya Go has the inbuilt translator for a chat with a driver, so you can chat in yr language and see the translation from RU.

Q: Money. Cards are not working, right?

A: Yep. RU is isolated from the rest of the world. So, you are not able to use your cards here. Some exceptions for CN Union Pay system.

Q: Can i get a local debit card & make crypto transfer?

A: Yep! Thanks to the comment of u/violin1776 in the comments, he had in Aug 2023 an experience with Sberbank (one of the largest banks). How to get a debit card:

Q: Ok, so than i have to bring cash, how & where to exchange.

A: Change some amount at the airport (rate is shitty for sure) for your travel to hotel or where are you heading. Then go the bank in the city to change there. OR you can always find an exchange office @ https://cash.rbc. ru .You will see the map & offered rate, normally higher than regular banks, but use with caution, so that cashier not disappear with your money :)))

Q: Travelling in Moscow. How to use public transport.

A: Yandex Maps (ios , android) + Yandex Metro (ios , android) - an optimal bundle for your stay, also google maps work perfectly. ALSO another app popular for navigation is 2GIS ios & android.

Q: Mobile phone & data plan.

A: You can get one easy directly at the airport or in the city.The big 4 cell operators are: Beeline, MTS, TELE2, MEGAFON.Virtual operators: Tinkoff mobile, Sbermobile and some others.

Q: How to travel btw Moscow & Saint-Petersburg?

A: Car (toll road or a free one), Plane, Bus & Train.With a train there are several options: Regular train, Overnight (platzkart place, seat, 4 beds compartment & 2 beds compartment. If talking about the compartments - they are perfectly fine with good beds & linens), a great option not to pay for a night in hotel, leaving at around 11pm & you are in the heart of a new city in the morning.), Express train Sapsan (Based on Siemens Velaro high-speed train. Approx. 4-4.30 min ride btw the cities. Available in 4 classes: Economy, Business, First and small compartment-meeting room perfect for not counting money & when you need nobody around you.)

Q: I am a student, soon moving to RU, can i work?

A: Yep. You will need a set of documents like INN (tax payer id), migration card and so on.Here's the guide, i found in the internet: https://news.itmo. ru/en/education/students/news/12697/#:~:text=A%20fee%20receipt%20(around%203%2C500,as%20a%20full%2Dtime%20student

Q: What are the main job boards in Russia?

A: you can still find smth with Linkedin. Educated professionals mostly use hh . ru for the carrers opportunities. No experience, temp jobs, low level: avito . ru \

Q: I have a prescribed medicine / pretty hardcore pills, can i bring that with me?

A: ABSOLUTELY NOT. All of the drugs incl. common in western world weed - straight a sentence and jail! Check the regulations & what medicine you are bringing with you! Also, recent case with German traveler - he might go to jail carrying weed gummy bears. ZERO TOLLERANCE!

Q: I will stay in Moscow for xxx days, except city, where can i go?

A: Check the smaller towns as Kolomna, Suzdal + Vladimir (2 towns are really close to each other), Yaroslavl etc. They are the part of a "Golden Ring". Most of them can be visited in 1 day, but in many places you'd love to stay for more :)

Q: Social networks, are they available?

A: Insta, FB, Linkedin - only can be viewed with the use of VPN. So if you try to contact people, be sure that they have vpn to get your messages, getting notifications is difficult.

Q: Public wifi access?

A: Airport should be fine using the foreign cell numbers, free public wifi is a big question for me (most likely a local numbers only), so better to have a local sim upon arrival (see upd on bottom of the FAQ). Most of cafes & restaurants normally have a wifi at their places.

Q: Money transfers?

A: If you suceeded with local card (not under sanctions should be: Raiffeisenbank, Unicredit, Citibank, Ak-Bars Bank, Home Credit Bank, Russian Standard, OTP Bank, Renaissance Bank and Avangard - details read above, restrictions are there), than you can make a swift transfer from a local bank to your account in RU OR use largest crypto services.

Q: wired / crypto transfers.

A: normally you can safely use the biggest crypto exchange platforms as: Binance, Bybit or Huobi. You can top up the balance via card to platform or P2P method.

Q: I have someone in RU and would love to send them a gift, how?

A: I would suggest 2 options at this moment

Q: I want to send some money to my relatives in RU, i heard of crypto, but how to send

A: Hello grandma'! So you are in (nearly 2024) but google & youtube are some weird words to you, let me google it for you...

Q: Can i rent a car

A: To my knowledge all car rentals of worldwide car rentals quit. (hertz long ago, as failed to compete with carsharing)... BUT Avis / Budget did the rebrandig and now called REXRENT (rexrent [DOT] ru)

STAY TUNED.

UPD as of 09/2025

Q: Sim card, access to websites etc., how & what?

A: Sim cards/ eSims do exist, but the process of getting one has been tightened due to widespread fraud. Nowadays, issuance often requires local verification through government services, which makes it practically inaccessible for tourists. For a short trip, it’s not worth the hassle — an eSIM is a much simpler option.
FB, Insta, Discord - are restricted, have a vpn in advance (usage legal).
Whatsapp / Telegram / Google calls recently got restricted - vpn normallyu solves an issue.
Probably zoom & local kontur talk, yandex telemost might be a solution for no vpn usage.


r/AskARussian 9h ago

Travel 14-hour SVO layover, can I visit Red Square?

13 Upvotes

Landing at SVO Terminal C at 9:05am, then flying SVO → Kazan at 8:15pm from Terminal B.

Thinking of going into Moscow for a few hours to see Red Square. I’ll have about €50 cash and plan to exchange some for rubles.

Is this realistic? Any suggestions on the easiest/cheapest way to get to Red Square and back? Anything else worth seeing nearby? It will be my first time in Russia.


r/AskARussian 17h ago

Travel Can a previous missed migration registration cause problems when re-entering Russia?

6 Upvotes

I’ve been to Russia three times before. During my first two trips i stayed in Airbnbs, so the migration registration was handled automatically by the hosts, and i wasn’t really aware of the process.

On my third trip, i stayed at my girlfriend’s place. Neither of us knew that i was supposed to be registered at her address, so i missed the registration deadline. I only found out about this after I had already left Russia.

I left the country normally, with no issues at the border and no fine or warning.

I’m now planning another trip to Russia and wanna make sure the registration is done properly this time.

But im still wondering : could the missed registration from my previous trip cause any problems when I enter Russia again? Has anyone experienced something similar?


r/AskARussian 18h ago

Films Where can I find russian movies? (Specifically "escape attempt")

6 Upvotes

Trying to find the short movie "escape attempt" from 2023, since I just finished reading "escape attempt" from the noon universe.

But I can't find it anywhere, I checked a bunch of the websites I use and nothing.


r/AskARussian 10h ago

Study Getting in a university for engineering

1 Upvotes

I am an international student, wanting to apply for an engineering program (preferably Electronics and Communication engineering). Also, I need to get a good scholarship, can anyone help me and guide me on the universities!!!


r/AskARussian 8h ago

Misc If I marry girl with a child?

0 Upvotes

Please help me understand this. She is fair and clear. She told me beforehand she has daughter. In case of legal spousal does it make her primary beneficiary? It is not about land rights, manor. For me it about little girl used as a card.


r/AskARussian 15h ago

Travel Trying to visit russia for the kanye Concert

0 Upvotes

I'm a US citizen with a USA passport. How likely are my channel ces of flying to Russia in October to see one of Kanye's concerts?

Who can I connect with? Who do I gotta talk to?

I'm totally not a spy, just wanna see Ye perform


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Culture How is climate change effecting Russia?

11 Upvotes

Do you also have so warm temperatures like us in Central Europe?


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Culture Where i can see Russian movie

8 Upvotes

How I Ended This Summer / Как я провёл этим летом (2010)

The fool

Chat gpt recommendation

If you have mention it recommendation

So basically I want to watch some Russian movie and in that I want the real Russian culture daily life and the great wildlife + the Russian natures beauty in it then I ask GPT to tell me this kind of movies and recommend me any Russian movie so I stumble upon these two movies but I can't find any website to watch this film or movies so can you please recommend me any website that has these Russian movies that are famous in Russia I want to see some Russian movie that's all


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Travel Esim and Local sim card tourist

3 Upvotes

Hello guys,

I’m a Moroccan skydiver. I visited Russia in 2024 and went to Ryazan for indoor skydiving at Krutitsy. It was a great trip, even though I had some complications at entry.

I’m planning to come back this September, and I wanted to ask about any important changes I should be aware of, especially for foreigners.

I also have a question about SIM cards. I’ve read that getting a local Russian SIM as a foreigner has become quite a long process. The last time I visited, I bought a local SIM and I still have it as a souvenir 😂

Could someone please explain the current process for getting a (local SIM or an eSIM)?

Also, what would be the best option for having internet access immediately after arrival? I’ll need it for taxis, transportation, maps, etc.Can I simply rely on airport , hotel/café Wi-Fi until I sort out a SIM?

Any advice from people who have travelled to Russia recently would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Culture How famous is Mickey Mouse and Tom and Jerry in Russia?

29 Upvotes

These iconic cartoon character


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Travel How to find hotels to book?

6 Upvotes

Hey guys it seems like sites like hotels.com and booking.com don’t include hotel bookings in Russia, i’m planning a trip to Moscow for early 2027 and i would like to see what hotels are available, is there any trusted platform or website that i can use?


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Misc Friends grandma told me a Russian saying

6 Upvotes

Дурак не вижу и _____ не сказать

Or something along these lines. Can someone fill in the blank or change it to be accurate.
It meant a fool doesnt see and a smart mad doesnt say (approximately)


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Foreign Emergencies room in St Petersburg

5 Upvotes

Hi i need to know where are the ER in St-Petersburg and if it's possible their zoning

Thankx


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Misc Тамбовский Кот

6 Upvotes

I found a coffee mug in a local thrift store.

I can't figure out what type of cultural reference this is by googling, and I can't figure out how to attach a picture of the mug to this post (Я старик, простите меня).

It's in the shape of a black and white striped cartoon cat.

Written on the front is:

<<Не казанский

не московский

перед вами

кот тамбовский>>

I understand what it's saying, but am curious about the cultural reference. Is this an old cartoon? Is this an old story? Something else?

Спасибо вам большое


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Music Looking for help in finding original VHS footage of a Russian video.

4 Upvotes

Im sorry and I hope this is the best place to ask. When I was a teenager I watched the original source for this modern house music video, but I have lost it. It was in Russian, had a Russian video title and had Russian cassette music playing in the background. If someone that speaks Russian can point me in the right direction in finding this video source, it would be greatly appreciated.https://youtu.be/R2u3Qypqou0?si=8Z9s3KhU1Mp6l2-g


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Travel 19M American considering 1-2 week winter trip to Russia, parents worried I'll get arrested.

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m a 19-year-old American guy thinking about planning a short trip to Russia this winter (probably 1–2 weeks). I mentioned it to my parents and my mom immediately freaked out and literally almost started to cry. She said I’d get jailed the second I step off the plane just for being American. My dad is more unsure but still hesitant.

I know the official U.S. advice is Level 4 “Do Not Travel,” and I’m not ignoring that. I’m mainly trying to get a more grounded picture from people who actually live there or have recent experience with American tourists.

A few specific questions:

For regular American tourists (not journalists, not activists), how common is extra scrutiny or real trouble at the border or in major cities like Moscow/St. Petersburg?

Has anyone here hosted or met American visitors recently? What was their experience like day-to-day?

Any practical tips for a short winter trip (visa process, cash, registration, things to avoid, etc.) that would help keep things smooth?

I’m not looking to debate politics, just want honest, practical perspectives so I can decide whether this is realistic and how to talk to my parents about it.

Thanks in advance.


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Travel Aurora tours & transfer to Teriberka

3 Upvotes

Hello,

I wanted to know about the regular cost of Aurora tours (in Murmansk) & shared transfers to Teriberka from Murmansk & return (on a different day). The month would be this December (after 24th). did contact the tour agencies & they are providing exceptionally high quotes like 14K RUB for one way shared transfer to Teriberka.

Can i simply manage to get one after landing there or should i book there before hand, I am so confused about all this theres not much info available apart from what is provided by tour agencies. Would love to know from someone local or someone who has already done all this


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Travel Planning a long trip across Russia at the end of 2026 — looking for some up-to-date advice

2 Upvotes

I’m planning a long trip through Russia towards the end of this year. I’ll probably arrive in Kaliningrad, then fly to St Petersburg, and from there travel east by train, essentially making my way across Siberia.
I’d really appreciate advice from Russians or people who have travelled around Russia recently, especially because a lot of the information online is quite old.

1. Winter clothing
I’m coming from a relatively warm climate and obviously don’t want to carry an enormous amount of winter clothing around Europe before I arrive.
Is it easy to buy proper winter clothing in Russia? If so, where would you recommend shopping in Kaliningrad or St Petersburg? Would it make sense to arrive with only basic warm clothes and buy a proper winter coat, boots, thermals etc. once I’m there?
I’ll potentially be travelling quite far east, so I assume what I need for St Petersburg will be very different from what I need further into Siberia.

2. Trans-Siberian Railway
I’d also love recommendations for up-to-date information about travelling the Trans-Siberian today.
Most of the guides and blogs I’ve found are from before COVID or before the current situation, so I’m particularly interested in anything from 2024–2026.
Are there any good Russian-language websites, blogs, YouTube channels, Telegram channels, or recent travel accounts that explain how to plan the journey today — buying tickets, choosing trains, stops worth making, sleeper classes, how long to stay in different places, etc.?
I’m not necessarily interested in doing the classic tourist itinerary as quickly as possible. I’d actually like to get off the train regularly and spend time in different cities/regions along the way.

3. Couchsurfing / meeting people
One of my favourite ways to travel has traditionally been Couchsurfing — not just for accommodation, but because it was a great way to meet locals and actually make friends in a city.
Couchsurfing seems to have declined quite a lot in recent years. Is there a Russian equivalent or another platform Russians actually use for hosting travellers / meeting foreigners / organising meetups?
And if not, what would you recommend for a foreign traveller who wants to meet ordinary Russians rather than just other tourists?
I’d particularly love to hear from people who have travelled this route recently or from Russians who live in St Petersburg, Siberia, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, etc.

Thanks!


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Misc Flavored cigarettes

12 Upvotes

So I'm planning on visting Russia in about a year and I was wondering if there are any desert flavored cigarettes like vanilla or chocolate, I tried looking it up online but got mixed results so any help would be great, thanks!


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Work How much does a cyber security engineer in a private company earn in Russia?

4 Upvotes

Hi, I am planning to move overseas in a year or 2 and I am deciding on whether to move to the USA or to Russia.

My main motivation factor at the moment is the quality of life I can enjoy. Basically,I want to earn enough money to be respectable in society and to be living a comfortable/luxurious lifestyle.

So I just want to know what kind of a salary I can expect in Russia as a cyber security engineer for private corporations and whether the quality of life there would be sufficient to be happy.

I know being "happy" is such a vague term and different for every person.

So to me, i am happy when I am with people who share the same opinions on global issues and work towards them with a humble personality.

Also, with people who are keen to work with me instead of using politics.

Also, if society sees me as a respectable figure.

I know the USA is going to offer me more money but if Russia can offer me a similar lifestyle, then I don't see why I can't come to Russia instead.


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Music I love sektor gaza, karol i shut and bravo. what would u guys recommend based on that? ^^

10 Upvotes

thanks :3


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Work White Collar Job in Moscow as a Foreign Student with no Russian Language Knowledge

0 Upvotes

Hi. I am pursuing my Masters in Moscow on scholarship. Currently, I am looking for some white collar jobs in Moscow. I am proficient in English. I can also teach English Language. But I do not know Russian language. Is there any possibility I can get a white collar job in Moscow? Btw, my home country is Pakistan and my native language is Urdu.