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
- Russian court orders community service for realtor who advised property-seeking women to marry soldiers for death benefitsby Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
A court in Tomsk has sentenced a realtor to 80 hours of community service for “inciting hatred or enmity” by advising women to marry soldiers deployed to Ukraine on the assumption that they’ll later be killed, resulting in a large compensation payment from the state. In an interview with blogger Darya Cherdantseva (who was sentenced to 85 hours of […]
- Moscow State University launches new ‘Western Studies’ lecture course by Eurasianist philosopher Alexander Dugin by Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
Eurasianist philosopher Alexander Dugin is now teaching a new course on Western Studies in Moscow State University’s political science department.
- Russian MP sacked after skipping work for two yearsby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 3, 2025
A Russian lawmaker has been sacked after skipping work for about two years Read Full Article at RT.com
- Kremlin investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev says the Trump administration understands Russia, could soon resume direct air travelby Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
Kremlin investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev reported from Washington on Thursday that he’s completed two days of talks with “key members of the Trump administration” and achieved “significant progress” on a ceasefire in Ukraine.
- Shameless: How a ‘EU aspirant’ silences opponents and threatens them with jailby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 3, 2025
The detention of regional leader Evgenia Gutsul exposes deepening tensions between Moldova and autonomous Gagauzia Read Full Article at RT.com
- The inconvenient truth about Europe’s frozen Russian assets. Millions of private investors have become collateral damage in Western sanctions against Moscow. Zhanna Nemtsova says the E.U. should do something about it.by Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
The European Union’s freeze on Russian assets has affected more than 5 million private investors, most of whom are not under Western sanctions. Instead of trying to accommodate these people, the E.U. keeps returning to the possible confiscation of Russian assets in support of Ukraine. Zhanna Nemtsova — who cofounded the Boris Nemtsov Foundation and […]
- They film until the bombs hit, then film that too: Meet brave Russians risking it all for truthby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 3, 2025
War reporters face artillery fire, drone strikes, and targeted attacks – yet keep returning to the front. They explain to RT why. Read Full Article at RT.com
- ‘They tell us to work, but we already do’. Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh face uncertain future as Armenia cuts back aidby Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
Story by Rima Grigoryan for The Beet. Edited by Eilish Hart
- Surveilling Putin’s ‘shadow fleet’. Meduza’s dispatch from the Baltic Sea, where a new NATO mission aims to protect undersea infrastructure as tensions rise with Russiaby Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
The Baltic Sea handles around 15 percent of global shipping traffic — approximately 2,500 vessels daily, according to researcher Julian Pawlak. A rising number of these ships belong to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” a group of hundreds of aging, poorly regulated oil tankers that Moscow uses to bypass Western sanctions. Following a surge in damage to […]
- Senior Ukrainian MP blasts Trump tariffsby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 3, 2025
Slapping a tax on his country represents “peak cynicism,” financial committee chairman Daniil Getmantsev has claimed Read Full Article at RT.com
- Putin believes Trump can broker acceptable Ukraine peace deal, but is ready to continue war if talks fail — Bloombergby Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin views U.S. President Donald Trump’s current efforts to reach a ceasefire as the best chance to end the war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing sources in Moscow familiar with the situation.
- Kiev commits new breaches of US-brokered energy ceasefire – Russian MODby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 3, 2025
Four facilities have been damaged in the last 24 hours, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- ‘My dearest Mommy, I will miss you so much’. Victims of Russian strike on Kryvyi Rih include two women remembered for their devotion to communityby Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
On April 2, Russia launched a missile at Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, killing four people. “Only sufficient pressure on Moscow can stop this,” Zelensky said, calling the strike a deliberate act of terror. “That pressure depends on our partners — on America, on Europe, and others around the world.” The next day, […]
- Russia bans Elton John foundationby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 3, 2025
The pro-LGBTQ organization undermines traditional family values, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russian woman facing jail for funding Ukrainian army – FSBby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 3, 2025
The suspect is under investigation in Kherson Region Read Full Article at RT.com
- White House says Trump tariffs did not target Russia because U.S. has no ‘meaningful trade’ with itby Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump has opted not to impose new tariffs on Russian goods, citing the fact that existing American sanctions have already eliminated any “meaningful trade” with Russia, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios.
- Russian authorities raid home of exiled Navalny ally Leonid Volkov’s fatherby Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officers raided the home of Mikhail Volkov, the father of exiled opposition figure and top Navalny associate Leonid Volkov, on Thursday morning.
- Top Kremlin negotiator in Washington for talks with Trump envoy — The Washington Postby Meduza.io on April 3, 2025
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund who has played a key role in Moscow’s talks with the Trump administration, has traveled to Washington for a meeting with President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, The Washington Post reported.
- District official in Kursk region resigns amid blame for failing to evacuate locals ahead of Ukrainian incursionby Meduza.io on April 2, 2025
After months of resisting calls to step down, Marina Degtyareva resigned on Wednesday from her post as the head of the Kursk region’s Korenevsky district. She faced intense criticism for her district’s failure to organize timely evacuations ahead of Ukraine’s surprise incursion in August 2024. Degtyareva made the announcement during an emergency […]
- Yeltsin Center cancels ‘I Killer the Tsar’ performance in Yekaterinburg amid online conservative backlashby Meduza.io on April 2, 2025
Without explanation, the Yeltsin Center in Yekaterinburg has canceled a performance of I Killed the Tsar scheduled for June 5. The play is a post-documentary drama about the execution of Russia’s last emperor, Nicholas II, and his family in 1918. The performance was part of a tour by the Moscow-based theater Vnutri Space. Online conservative groups […]
- The man behind the burning Kremlin. Zelensky’s most talked-about painting was created by an artist from Georgiaby Meduza.io on April 2, 2025
A painting by Georgian artist Sandro Antadze depicting the Moscow Kremlin in flames drew global attention after Time Magazine published a photo of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posing in front of it in his bedroom. After tracking down the man behind the painting, Novaya Gazeta Europe published a profile of Antadze and his work, examining how a man […]
- Russian military court sentences two officers to a combined 38 years in prison for murder, torture, and desecration of bodiesby Meduza.io on April 2, 2025
A Russian military court has sentenced Colonel Yevgeny Malyshko and Senior Sergeant Roman Timonin to 20 and 18 years in prison, respectively, on charges of murder, torture, and desecration of the bodies of seven fellow servicemen. Journalists at Mediazona reported the verdicts on April 2, though the rulings were handed down on February 6 and March 31.
- Breaking the ice: How Russia’s nuclear fleet outpaces rivalsby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 2, 2025
The Cold War never ended – it just moved to the Arctic and got nuclear Read Full Article at RT.com
- Ukraine continuing attacks on Russian energy facilities – MODby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 2, 2025
The Russian Defense Ministry has reported new Ukrainian drone strikes against energy facilities in Kursk Region Read Full Article at RT.com
- Kremlin responds to Trump threat to sanction Russian oilby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 2, 2025
The US president has warned of restrictions if Moscow “is to blame” for a failed Ukraine ceasefire Read Full Article at RT.com
- RT editor-in-chief proposes response to ‘unjust’ detentions abroadby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 2, 2025
Margarita Simonyan says legal aid should be offered to those arrested for supporting Russia Read Full Article at RT.com
- Visit by Putin envoy to Washington ‘possible’ – Kremlinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 2, 2025
Western media earlier reported that Kirill Dmitriev will meet Donald Trump’s Ukraine negotiator Steve Witkoff later this week Read Full Article at RT.com
- ‘I couldn’t keep hiding’. Russian-born tennis star Daria Kasatkina came out as gay and denounced the war. Now she’s joining Team Australia — and being branded a ‘traitor.’by Meduza.io on April 2, 2025
Daria Kasatkina, who spent years as Russia’s top-ranked women’s tennis player, has announced that she’s changing her sporting nationality. The 27-year-old will now represent Australia — a country she began calling home after publicly opposing Russia’s war in Ukraine and coming out as gay. She hasn’t returned to Russia since. Novaya Gazeta Europe […]
- US ignoring Ukraine’s energy ceasefire violations – Kremlinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 2, 2025
Washington is ignoring Kiev’s violations of the US-mediated moratorium on attacks against energy infrastructure, Dmitry Peskov has said. Read Full Article at RT.com
- Putin creates new agency to crack down on illegal immigrationby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on April 2, 2025
The service will also oversee citizenship issues, according to the Kremlin Read Full Article at RT.com