Area Total | 17,098,242 sq km |
Climate | ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast |
Natural Resources | wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, bauxite, reserves of rare earth elements, timber |
Imports | China 21.2%, Germany 10.7%, US 5.6%, Belarus 5%, Italy 4.5%, France 4.2% (2017) – machinery, vehicles, pharmaceutical products, plastic, semi-finished metal products, meat, fruits and nuts, optical and medical instruments, iron, steel |
Government | semi-presidential federation |
Capital | Moscow |
Population | 142.1 million (July 2018 est.) |
Ethnicity | Russian 77.7%, Tatar 3.7%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Bashkir 1.1%, Chuvash 1%, Chechen 1%, other 10.2%, unspecified 3.9% (2010 est.) |
Language | Russian (official) 85.7%, Tatar 3.2%, Chechen 1%, other 10.1% (2010 est.) |
Exports | China 10.9%, Netherlands 10%, Germany 7.1%, Belarus 5.1%, Turkey 4.9% (2017) – petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, metals, wood and wood products, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and military manufactures |
News about Russia
- Two gemstone smugglers nabbed in Moscow airport on same day – customs (PHOTOS)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 22, 2025
Russia’s Federal Customs Service has announced the detention of two foreign nationals caught smuggling gemstones through a Moscow airport Read Full Article at RT.com
- Kiev-linked terrorist group spy arrested in Russia – FSB (VIDEO)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 22, 2025
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained a man accused of spying for and funding a Kiev-linked terrorist group Read Full Article at RT.com
- Yeltsin survives, boom times for Lockheed Martin, and street musicians unite. Meduza breaks down today’s biggest Russia-related news stories, October 21, 2025by Meduza.io on October 22, 2025
Below, you’ll find a digest of news reports from October 20, 2025, in Russian and English. As preparations for a Trump–Putin summit in Budapest stalled, Meduza tracked ongoing threats to European security, the latest developments in Russia’s civil rights (or lack thereof), and Russia-related trends in the global economy.
- Russian man sentenced to prison for keeping grenade soldiers gave him as a thank-youby Meduza.io on October 21, 2025
A court in Russia’s Belgorod region sentenced a local resident to one year and four months in prison for possessing a hand grenade, Mediazona reported.
- ‘Regulated life has won’. Fifteen years ago, Alexander Gronsky photographed Moscow’s unruly outskirts. Now he says they’re disappearing.by Meduza.io on October 21, 2025
Fifteen years ago, Russian photographer Alexander Gronsky released Pastoral, a series of landscape photos taken on the outskirts of Moscow that depict the fragile boundary between the ever-expanding city and the nature surrounding it. Since then, the Russian capital’s area has more than doubled, and its population has increased by nearly 2 million […]
- Kremlin comments on timeframe for Trump-Putin summitby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 21, 2025
Preparation is needed ahead of a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, the Kremlin has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- Poland could resort to terrorism – Lavrovby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 21, 2025
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Poland of considering terrorist acts against Russia Read Full Article at RT.com
- Ukrainian agent captured in Moscow – FSB (VIDEO)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 21, 2025
Russia’s Federal Security Service has detained a man accused of collaborating with Kiev and opened a case against him for treason Read Full Article at RT.com
- Moscow responds to claim that Russia-US meeting on holdby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 21, 2025
Russian officials say Ukraine’s backers in the EU are using media “infodumps” in a bid to sabotage the proposed Putin-Trump summit Read Full Article at RT.com
- Moscow backs bill to transfer ‘ownerless’ homes in occupied Ukraine to the stateby Meduza.io on October 21, 2025
Residential buildings, apartments, and rooms in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions that show “signs of being ownerless property” will be transferred to the ownership of local occupation administrations, Vedomosti reported.
- Armenian opposition mayor placed in pre-trial detentionby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 21, 2025
Armenian opposition figure and Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan has been detained on corruption charges Read Full Article at RT.com
- How trade is winning the war that armies couldn’tby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 21, 2025
Trade replaces war on the CIS’s southern frontier Read Full Article at RT.com
- From cold war to code war: How a Soviet dream became Russia’s smart powerby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 20, 2025
Once a socialist experiment, People’s Friendship University of Russia has turned into Moscow’s most successful instrument of soft power Read Full Article at RT.com
- Trump cusses out Zelensky, ‘your mom’ chose Budapest, and Moscow’s subway raids. Meduza breaks down today’s biggest Russia-related news stories, October 20, 2025by Meduza.io on October 20, 2025
Below, you’ll find a digest of news reports from October 20, 2025, in Russian and English. The sections below, titled in song lyrics, are (1) police and legal matters in Russia, (2) demographic-themed developments inside Russia, (3) news about European security threats and responses, and (4) the aftermath of Volodymyr Zelensky’s White House visit […]
- Meduza is turning 11! And here are six (!) ways to support our work, even if you can’t donate.by Meduza.io on October 20, 2025
On Meduza’s birthday, we’ve got just one wish: to keep working for you, no matter what. And you can help make this wish come true by supporting us! While we continue to rely on your donations to operate, this appeal is about something else.
- ‘She didn’t end up there by chance’. Chechen woman who reportedly fled domestic violence in Russia found dead in Armeniaby Meduza.io on October 20, 2025
A missing Chechen woman who reportedly fled domestic violence in Russia has been found dead in Yerevan. According to Armenian police, the body of Aishat Baimuradova, 23, was found in a rented apartment on October 19. A preliminary investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death is reportedly underway.
- Armenian opposition mayor detained in govt crackdown (VIDEOS)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 20, 2025
Armenian law enforcement has detained Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan and seven others on corruption charges Read Full Article at RT.com
- Trump denies demanding Ukraine surrender Donbassby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 20, 2025
Trump has rejected reports claiming he urged Zelensky to surrender all of Donbass, insisting the fighting should stop where it is Read Full Article at RT.com
- The battle for Pokrovsk. Russia is closing in on a key city in the Donetsk region. Can Ukraine hold the line?by Meduza.io on October 20, 2025
Like our earlier reports on the combat situation in Ukraine, this article takes stock of the recent developments on the battlefield based on open-source information. Meduza has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from the very start, and our detailed military analyses are part of our commitment to objective reporting on a war we firmly […]
- Kremlin explains choice of host nation for next Putin-Trump summitby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 20, 2025
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has outlined why Hungary was chosen to host the upcoming summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump Read Full Article at RT.com
- Zelensky aide advises Ukrainians to meditate amid blackoutsby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 20, 2025
An aide to Vladimir Zelensky has suggested stress management techniques for citizens coping with widespread blackouts Read Full Article at RT.com
- Lavrov holds phone call with Rubioby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 20, 2025
The conversation between the top Russian and US diplomats comes ahead of a planned summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump Read Full Article at RT.com
- ‘Bad for Moscow’. Trump appears to be weighing military action in Venezuela. Russia’s far-right pundits have some thoughts.by Meduza.io on October 20, 2025
The U.S. appears to be considering military action against Venezuela — and the Latin American country’s biggest ally, Russia, is watching carefully. Washington’s escalation began in early September, when it carried out a strike on a boat from Venezuela that U.S. President Donald Trump claimed was transporting illegal drugs. It carried out […]
- Zelensky rejects Trump-backed territory concession planby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 20, 2025
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has dismissed the idea of ceding territory to Russia reportedly supported by US President Donald Trump Read Full Article at RT.com
- KGB boss seeks talks with Ukraineby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 20, 2025
Belarusian KGB chairman Ivan Tertel has said his agency is working to support diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russian journalist returns home from Baku after months under arrestby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 20, 2025
Editor-in-chief of Sputnik Azerbaijan, Igor Kartavykh, has been released from custody, the Foreign Ministry says Read Full Article at RT.com
- Zelensky repeats ceasefire demandsby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 19, 2025
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has said he is ready for negotiations with Russia “in any format” Read Full Article at RT.com
- French-born descendant of tsar tells Putin why he fought for Russiaby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 19, 2025
Gavriil Doroshin, a descendant of Tsar Nicholas I, told Vladimir Putin why he joined the Russian army in the Ukraine conflict Read Full Article at RT.com
- Protesters in Armenia demand release of government critic (VIDEOS)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 19, 2025
Protesters marched in Armenia demanding the release of pro-opposition billionaire Samvel Karapetyan Read Full Article at RT.com
- Putin aide accuses WaPo of ‘truth distortion’by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on October 18, 2025
Kirill Dmitriev has demanded an apology from the Washington Post for presenting a reposted comment as his own statement Read Full Article at RT.com