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
- US citizen arrested after boozy Trump-Biden dispute in Moscow – mediaby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 22, 2025
Russian news outlets have reported that a drunken argument about US politics led to vandalism in a Moscow eatery Read Full Article at RT.com
- China invites Putin to WWII ‘Victory Day’ celebrations – Kremlinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 22, 2025
The Russian president has reciprocated the move by inviting Xi Jinping to the celebrations in Moscow on May 9 Read Full Article at RT.com
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says ending war in Ukraine will be Washington’s ‘official policy’ under Trumpby Meduza.io on January 22, 2025
Newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that ending the war in Ukraine would be the “official policy” of the United States under President Donald Trump.
- Moscow bank employee steals $1.8 million from client’s safe deposit boxby Meduza.io on January 22, 2025
A bank employee in Moscow stole 180 million rubles ($1.8 million) from a client’s safe deposit box, according to Interior Ministry spokesperson Irina Volk.
- Zelensky demands at least 200,000 ‘peacekeepers’ on Ukrainian soil – Reutersby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 22, 2025
Fewer troops would amount to “nothing,” Kiev’s leader has reportedly said Read Full Article at RT.com
- Trump threatens sanctions if Russia refuses talks on ending war, calls Putin ‘smart’by Meduza.io on January 22, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will likely impose new sanctions against Russia if Vladimir Putin doesn’t agree to enter negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine, Reuters reports. He did not specify what kind of sanctions he was referring to.
- Syrian authorities terminate agreement with Russian company to manage Tartus port, site of Russian military baseby Meduza.io on January 22, 2025
Syria’s new authorities have terminated an agreement with Russia’s Stroytransgaz to manage the Tartus port, Kommersant reports.
- Snowden’s wife seeking Russian citizenshipby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 22, 2025
Lindsay Mills has lived in the country for over a decade, since joining her NSA whistleblower husband, who fled the US Read Full Article at RT.com
- Zelensky claims US doesn’t care about EUby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 21, 2025
Vladimir Zelensky said the US prioritizes other regions over Europe and urged the EU to bolster defense commitment amid shifting US policies Read Full Article at RT.com
- Ukraine will not agree to Putin’s demand to cut its army by five times, says Zelenskyby Meduza.io on January 21, 2025
Ukraine will not agree to any demands from Vladimir Putin to cut its army by five times, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday.
- Meduza in Europe. Photo highlights from our boldest offline campaign yetby Meduza.io on January 21, 2025
We still can’t quite believe it, but it really happened: Meduza’s promo campaign hit the streets of some of Europe’s largest capitals. On January 16 and 17, projections about us and our work lit up buildings in busy neighborhoods of Berlin, Paris, and London. Take a look through this gallery to relive the moment (and don’t miss the surprise at the […]
- Lukashenko hits out at Trump for discrediting ‘poor old’ Bidenby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 21, 2025
The Belarusian leader said Trump shouldn’t have spent half of his inauguration speech belittling Biden Read Full Article at RT.com
- The regime’s revenge. The outcome of Belarus’s upcoming presidential vote may be a foregone conclusion, but after the 2020 protests, Lukashenko is leaving nothing to chanceby Meduza.io on January 21, 2025
On January 26, Belarus will hold its presidential vote — the first since August 2020, when the country experienced its largest protests and harshest crackdown on dissent in modern history. Over the past four and a half years, tens of thousands of Belarusians have been arrested, interrogated, beaten, fined, convicted, or pushed out of their jobs, while […]
- Top Russian lawmaker offers reset to US Congressby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 21, 2025
Duma International Affairs Committee chief Leonid Slutsky has raised the possibility of rebooting ties with Washington Read Full Article at RT.com
- Ukraine’s chief military psychologist accused in $1 million bribe stingby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 21, 2025
Top Ukrainian military psychologist Oleg Druz allegedly profited illegally amid mobilization efforts Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russia drafting new law to seize Western assets – mediaby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 21, 2025
Moscow is preparing new law to seize the assets of nations that unlawfully confiscate Russian funds and property, Izvestia newspaper reports Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russian diplomats claim Trump is ‘trolling’ Canada – mediaby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 21, 2025
US President Trump is likely trying to soften up Ottawa ahead of trade negotiations, according to Moscow’s embassy in Canada Read Full Article at RT.com
- ‘You’ll be imprisoned, but you won’t be killed’. This Russian activist fled to the U.S. after multiple arrests — only to be deported and jailed yet againby Meduza.io on January 21, 2025
In May 2023, Russian activist Evgeny Mashinin arrived in the U.S., where he planned to seek asylum after facing multiple arrests back home for participating in pro-democracy and anti-war protest rallies. He appeared to have a solid case: the European Court of Human Rights had even awarded him thousands of euros for his detentions. However, the U.S. judge […]
- Ukraine arrests military officers for negligence that allegedly enabled Russian breakthrough in Kharkiv regionby Meduza.io on January 21, 2025
Ukraine’s Security Service and State Bureau of Investigation reported the arrest of two generals and a colonel on suspicion of negligence, which allegedly allowed Russian forces to capture parts of the Kharkiv region in May 2024.
- Russian authorities declare Czech company behind software reportedly popular among Russian police ‘undesirable’by Meduza.io on January 21, 2025
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has declared as “undesirable” a company that produces data extraction software reportedly popular among Russian police.
- Russian government commission endorses amendment to criminalize first offense of ‘inciting hatred’by Meduza.io on January 21, 2025
Russia's Government Commission on Legislative Activities has approved a Justice Ministry initiative to strengthen penalties under the Criminal Code for inciting hatred or enmity when accompanied by the justification, promotion, or threats of violence, according to the newspaper Vedomosti.
- Trump confirms preparations for Putin meeting, says he still has ‘half a day’ to end Ukraine warby Meduza.io on January 21, 2025
On January 20, shortly after his inauguration, U.S. President Donald Trump called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.
- Ukrainian drone strike ignites new fire at already burning Russian oil depotby Meduza.io on January 21, 2025
A new fire broke out at an oil depot in Russia’s Voronezh region following a Ukrainian drone strike, Governor Alexander Gusev reported.
- No peace to keep. Why are European leaders debating sending peacekeepers to Ukraine? Crisis Group expert Simon Schlegel explains.by Meduza.io on January 20, 2025
As Donald Trump returns to the White House promising to bring Moscow and Kyiv to the negotiating table and scale back U.S. support for Ukraine, European leaders are grappling with what this could mean for security on the continent. In the weeks leading up to Trump’s inauguration, France and the U.K. renewed talk of deploying European peacekeepers to […]
- Not just the war. Three key issues to watch in Russia-U.S. relations as Trump takes the reinsby Meduza.io on January 20, 2025
As Donald Trump takes the oath of office for the second time, the world is waiting to see how he’ll seek to end Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine — something he’s previously said he would do within 24 hours (and, later, before his inauguration). But the nearly three-year-old conflict is just one of numerous interlaced geopolitical challenges […]
- Putin congratulates Trump on inauguration and says Moscow is ready for dialogueby Meduza.io on January 20, 2025
In a video from a Russian Security Council meeting published by the Kremlin on Monday, Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump on his inauguration as U.S. president and said that Moscow is ready to engage in dialogue with Washington regarding the war in Ukraine.
- Putin-Trump meeting will take months to organize – Kremlin pool reporterby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 20, 2025
A potential meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is expected to take months to organize, a Kremlin pool reporter says Read Full Article at RT.com
- Russia congratulates Trump – Putinby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 20, 2025
Russia congratulates Donald Trump on taking office as US president, Vladimir Putin has said Read Full Article at RT.com
- ‘They’re just happy that something can be banned’. Russian officials are discussing ways to block messenger app calls from unknown numbersby Meduza.io on January 20, 2025
Russian officials are weighing new restrictions on calls made through messaging platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp. Mobile operators have reportedly pushed for the measures in government meetings, citing the growing threat posed by phone scammers (though financial motives likely play a role too). It’s still unclear how these restrictions would work […]
- World ski body chief calls for Russian ban to be liftedby RT (RT Russia & Former Soviet Union) on January 20, 2025
President of the International Ski Federation (FIS) Johan Eliasch has expressed support for lifting a blanket ban on Russian athletes Read Full Article at RT.com