| 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
- New Russian strikes reported in Ukraine – media (VIDEOS)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 6, 2025
Russia has conducted strikes on targets across Ukraine, causing widespread blackouts, local media and officials say Read Full Article at RT.com
- Anatomy of the ‘most difficult’ issue in the Russia–Ukraine peace talks: territoryby Meduza.io on December 6, 2025
President Volodymyr Zelensky says that territory remains the “most difficult” issue in the ongoing peace talks to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. Vladimir Putin says the Trump administration’s controversial 28-point plan “could serve as the basis for a final peace settlement.” He continues to insist that Ukraine withdraw from the parts […]
- A Russian deserter recounts wounding himself — and his own men — to escape the Ukraine warby Meduza.io on December 6, 2025
This Friday, the French-German broadcaster ARTE released journalist Maria Borzunova’s interview with Yevgeny Korobov, a 30-year-old senior lieutenant who deserted from the Russian army several months into the full-scale war in Ukraine. In his first-ever interview, Korobov described his preparations for the February 2022 invasion, his inadvertent role […]
- Kiev to merge military procurement agencies despite corruption concernsby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
The Ukrainian leadership has ordered a merger of two major military procurement agencies despite NATO’s objections over corruption concerns Read Full Article at RT.com
- Zelensky allowed corruption to flourish – NYTby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
Vladimir Zelensky’s government sabotaged oversight in state firms to allow corruption to thrive, a New York Times probe has found Read Full Article at RT.com
- Freed from prison in Belarus, exiled opposition leader’s husband accused of battling her instead of Lukashenkoby Meduza.io on December 5, 2025
Six months ago, after serving five years behind bars, Belarusian opposition figure Siarhei Tsikhanouski walked free. He emerged from the fervor of 2020 — when he was a popular political blogger preparing a run for the presidency — into the far bleaker landscape of 2025. Now reunited with his family in exile, Tsikhanouski finds himself cast […]
- Western-backed anti-graft agencies bust crime ring led by Ukrainian MPby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
The criminal group, allegedly led by opposition MP Anna Skorokhod, has reportedly extorted some $250,000 from a Ukrainian businessman Read Full Article at RT.com
- Zelensky’s ex-chief of staff still holds government posts – mediaby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
Andrey Yermak, who resigned as Vladimir Zelensky’s chief of staff amid a corruption probe, has retained other posts, local media claims Read Full Article at RT.com
- Kiev’s European backers secretly admit territory loss likely – mediaby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
Western officials are privately beginning to acknowledge that Kiev will have to relinquish claims to Russian territories, El Pais reports Read Full Article at RT.com
- West turning OSCE into tool of ‘hybrid war’– Moscowby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
Western governments are using the OSCE to pressure countries pursuing sovereign policies, Russian Deputy FM Grushko has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- Unpacking the paradoxes of Poland’s migration debateby Meduza.io on December 5, 2025
With roughly a million Ukrainian refugees now residing in Poland and fears about hybrid war and border security unabated, discussions about migration have become entangled with a range of domestic and foreign policy issues, from a rise in hate crimes to gaps in the labor market and support for Ukraine. Polish officials, meanwhile, are sticking […]
- Russian athletes cleared to compete under national flagby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
The International Sambo Federation has restored the rights of Russian and Belarusian national teams Read Full Article at RT.com
- EU’s demands for Ukraine peace plan ‘unacceptable’ – Kremlinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
EU leaders are constantly making unacceptable demands, complicating Russia-US efforts to reach a settlement on Ukraine Read Full Article at RT.com
- Putin’s India visit a ‘powerful impetus’ for economic cooperation – minister to RT (VIDEO)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
Economic Development Minister Maksim Reshetnikov has outlined ways to boost trade between Moscow and New Delhi in an interview with RT Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russia has ‘no limits’ on sharing space technology with India – deputy PM (VIDEO)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
Russia is prepared to share space technology with India and pursue joint missions, the deputy PM has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- Zelensky doing bidding of extremists – Putinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
Ukraine’s Zelensky is pursuing the agenda of a narrow group of radical nationalists instead of seeking peace, Putin has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- ‘You are not even in the game’ – Russian negotiator to Merzby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
Kirill Dmitriev has accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of sabotaging the Ukraine peace process with his “warmongering” Read Full Article at RT.com
- Ukrainian drone hits business center in southern Russia – media (VIDEO)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 5, 2025
A Ukrainian drone has hit a business center in Grozny, Chechen Republic, local media have reported Read Full Article at RT.com
- E.U. blacklisting over ‘money laundering and terrorist financing’ pushes Russia further into pariah statusby Meduza.io on December 5, 2025
The European Union plans to add Russia to its list of countries with a high risk of money laundering and terrorist financing, Politico reported this week. Once official, the decision will exacerbate Russia’s international pariah status, jeopardizing investment and trade flows that emerged in response to Western sanctions against Moscow after the […]
- Belgian-Russian dual citizen charged with treason after trying to visit father in St. Petersburg following a heart attackby Meduza.io on December 4, 2025
A 48-year-old man with dual Russian and Belgian citizenship has been charged with treason in Russia following an attempt to visit his father, who recently suffered a heart attack. Mikhail Loshchinin’s family is scattered across Europe. He has lived in Germany for the past several years, working as a database administrator in Luxembourg. His […]
- Ukraine cries ‘betrayal’ as diving champion takes Russian citizenshipby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 4, 2025
Ukrainian diving champion Sofia Lyskun has taken Russian citizenship over what she called political pressure Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russia blocks Snapchat, along with Roblox and FaceTimeby Meduza.io on December 4, 2025
Russia’s federal censor, Roskomnadzor, announced on Thursday that it has blocked the mobile application Snapchat. The agency explained the ban by saying that, according to law enforcement, the service “is used to organize and carry out terrorist activities, to recruit their perpetrators, and to commit fraudulent and other crimes against Russian […]
- Russian initiative turns stray dogs into WiFi hotspots to keep people online during blackoutsby Meduza.io on December 4, 2025
A team of artists in Yekaterinburg has found a novel solution to Russia’s mobile Internet blackouts — outfitting stray dogs with WiFi routers and letting them wander the city as walking hotspots. The idea, they say, has two benefits: free Internet for residents and much-needed attention for the dogs, who are available for adoption. Animal welfare […]
- Russian regulator explains reasons for blocking Robloxby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 4, 2025
Russia has blocked Roblox citing extremist and harmful content as the gaming platform faces lawsuits and scrutiny over child safety Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russia not seeking to rejoin G7 – Putinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 4, 2025
Russia has no plans to rejoin the G7, Vladimir Putin has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russia will liberate all of Donbass – Putinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 4, 2025
Russia’s Donetsk and Lugansk Regions will be fully secured by Moscow, whether through force or negotiations, Putin has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- Kiev’s spooks open fire in standoff with army – mediaby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 4, 2025
Ukrainian HUR forces seriously injured a number of soldiers in a fight over clinic space in Kiev, according to media reports Read Full Article at RT.com
- Ukrainian parliament passes new law against Russianby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 4, 2025
The Russian language has been stripped of protection under a key European Council convention Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russia bans Roblox over child safety fearsby Meduza.io on December 3, 2025
Russia’s federal media censor, Roskomnadzor, announced on Wednesday that it had blocked the popular children’s video game Roblox. Statements and reports from government agencies indicate that the Russian authorities have been preparing for this move since the start of the year. Roskomnadzor justified the ban by accusing the game of disseminating […]
- Five Ukrainian brigades encircled in Donbass town – Bildby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 3, 2025
Russian forces have encircled around 1,000 Ukrainian troops in the Donbass city of Dmitrov, Bild has reported Read Full Article at RT.com


