Russia: What to Know Before You Go

Cuisine Highlights

• Borscht, deep red beet and cabbage soup with meat and sour cream; warming, earthy, and quintessentially Russian and Ukrainian in origin
• Pelmeni, small meat-filled dumplings boiled and served with butter or sour cream; Siberia's legendary fast food and a beloved winter staple
• Blini, thin crepes served with caviar, smoked salmon, sour cream, or jam; central to Maslenitsa (Pancake Week) celebrations before Lent
• Beef Stroganoff, tender beef strips in a rich mustard-cream sauce; a 19th-century aristocratic dish that became globally famous

Traditions & Festivals

• Maslenitsa (Pancake Week), pre-Lenten festival with blini, folk games, burning of the Maslenitsa effigy, and elaborate community celebrations
• Victory Day (May 9), the most important national holiday; commemorates WWII victory with military parades and emotional remembrance
• White Nights (June) in St. Petersburg, midnight sun phenomenon celebrated with festivals, open-air concerts, and all-night revelry

Language & Communication

Russian is the official language using the Cyrillic script. English is spoken in Moscow and St.

Petersburg's tourist and business sectors but is rare elsewhere. Key phrase: "Zdravstvuyte" (Здравствуйте) is the formal hello; "Privet" (Привет) is informal.

Note: Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, most Western governments advise against travel to Russia, verify all current advisories and understand visa and banking restrictions before any visit.

Cultural Etiquette

• Russians are reserved with strangers but deeply warm with friends, initial formality does not indicate coldness; relationships develop over time
• Never give even numbers of flowers (associated with funerals); always give odd numbers; yellow flowers are also avoided as they symbolize separation
• Removing shoes when entering a home is expected; hosts usually offer tapochki (slippers)
• Toasting with vodka is a serious ritual, look people in the eye when clinking glasses; not doing so is considered bad luck