| 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
- Kremlin backs US rebuke of Reuters ‘lies’by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 22, 2025
Moscow has dismissed Reuters claims about Russian expansionist aims, which the US intelligence chief also condemned as pro-war “propaganda” Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russian general killed by car bomb in Moscowby Meduza.io on December 22, 2025
A car bomb killed Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Russian General Staff’s army operational training directorate, in Moscow on Monday, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee. The agency said an explosive device had been placed under Sarvarov’s Kia Sorento in the city’s south and detonated.
- Russian general assassinated in Moscowby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 22, 2025
A Russian general has been assassinated in a car bomb attack in Moscow, the Investigative Committee has confirmed Read Full Article at RT.com
- Witkoff calls talks with Putin envoy ‘productive’by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 21, 2025
Russia is “fully committed to achieving peace in Ukraine,” US President Donald Trump’s confidant said after talks with Kirill Dmitriev Read Full Article at RT.com
- Kremlin outlines senior negotiator’s mission in USby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 21, 2025
Top Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev is in the US to get a sense of the West’s position on the Ukraine peace process, the Kremlin has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- EU tampering with Ukraine peace talks – Putin aideby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 21, 2025
Attempts by the EU and Ukraine to change the US-drafted peace deal won’t improve the prospects for a settlement, Yury Ushakov says Read Full Article at RT.com
- Zelensky admits Ukraine can’t afford 800,000-strong armyby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 21, 2025
Kiev can’t finance a 800,000-strong army and wants Western funding as part of security guarantees, Vladimir Zelensky has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- Corruption-hit aide still calling shots in Kiev – mediaby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 21, 2025
Vladimir Zelensky continues to clandestinely consult former chief of staff Andrey Yermak, who resigned amid a graft scandal, media claim Read Full Article at RT.com
- Kremlin outlines conditions for talks with Macronby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 21, 2025
Vladimir Putin is open to talks with Emmanuel Macron if they are not focused on “lecturing,” Dmitry Peskov has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- Kremlin reacts to Zelensky’s election claimsby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 21, 2025
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has accused Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky of contradicting himself after rejecting Russian security proposals Read Full Article at RT.com
- Putin envoy touts ‘constructive’ talks in Miamiby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 20, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has described talks in Miami with senior US interlocutors as constructive Read Full Article at RT.com
- Ex-Biden aide receives Russian passportby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 20, 2025
Former US Senate staffer and RT contributor Tara Reade says becoming a Russian citizen is an “honor and a privilege” Read Full Article at RT.com
- Polish president gifted Zelensky book on Ukrainian Nazi crimes – media (PHOTO)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 20, 2025
Polish President Karol Nawrocki has given Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky a book on the World War II-era Volhynia Massacre Read Full Article at RT.com
- Ukraine ‘destroyed’ its own mobilization drive – Kiev’s spy chiefby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 20, 2025
Internal forces, not Russia, are to blame for the ineffectiveness of the draft campaign, Kirill Budanov has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- Putin envoy confirms new round of talks with USby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 20, 2025
Kirill Dmitriev has confirmed that he is on the way to Miami to hold talks on a Ukraine peace settlement Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russia responds to Japanese debates on nuclear U-turnby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 20, 2025
Japan’s militarization would degrade security in Northeast Asia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- Ukraine to dismantle monument to legendary Kiev-born writerby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 20, 2025
The Ukrainian authorities have voted to dismantle a series of memorials in Kiev, including a monument to renowned writer Mikhail Bulgakov Read Full Article at RT.com
- Balanced budgets and broken promises. Meduza fact-checks Putin’s most problematic claims in today’s call-in marathonby Meduza.io on December 19, 2025
On Friday, President Vladimir Putin held his annual Direct Line call-in show, where he fielded questions from carefully selected journalists and Russian citizens for nearly four and a half hours. This televised event gave Putin yet another opportunity to expound upon everything from the war in Ukraine and relations with the West to the state of the […]
- Gains in Kupyansk, crisis on other fronts . Meduza analyzes the pressure on Ukraine’s defenses as Russia’s offensive continues by Meduza.io on December 19, 2025
Like our earlier reports on the combat situation in Ukraine, this article reviews recent battlefield developments based on open-source information. Meduza has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from the outset, and our military analyses reflect our commitment to objective reporting on a war we firmly oppose.
- Bank of Russia cuts key interest rateby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
The Bank of Russia has lowered its key interest rate to 16%, saying the economy is returning to a “balanced growth” path Read Full Article at RT.com
- Putin offers Zelensky a deal on electionsby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
Strikes on Ukraine could be halted during an election provided Ukrainians living in Russia are allowed to vote, Vladimir Putin has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- NATO, Ukraine peace and frozen assets: Key statements from Putin’s Q&Aby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
The annual event ran for nearly five hours, during which Russian President Vladimir Putin fielded questions from the public and media Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russia ready to ‘compromise’ on Ukraine – Putinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
Russia has agreed to “compromise” on a Ukraine settlement and is ready to end the conflict through diplomatic means, Vladimir Putin has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- ‘We didn’t live in vain’: Putin’s time-capsule message for future generations (FULL TEXT)by RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
President Putin improvised a time-capsule message for future generations during his end-of-year Q&A session Read Full Article at RT.com
- The grim reality behind the grandstanding: What’s in the EU’s new cash delivery to Kievby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
Read Full Article at RT.com
- Putin warns NATO against potential blockadeby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said any attempt to blockade Kaliningrad would trigger a large-scale armed conflict Read Full Article at RT.com
- God will never leave Russia – Putinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken about his belief in God and faith in divine protection for Russia Read Full Article at RT.com
- NATO chief is a ‘smart man spouting nonsense’ – Putinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for claiming that a Western war with Russia is looming Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russia ups legal risk for European banks over frozen assetsby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
The Bank of Russia has announced it will seek damages from European banks and financial entities over the freezing of its sovereign assets Read Full Article at RT.com
- Zelensky a ‘talented artist’ – Putinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on December 19, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ridiculed a recent PR stunt by Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky Read Full Article at RT.com


