Overview
The history of the Russian Federation is long and brutal. It is apparent on every corner of the country’s awesome cities, such as Moscow and St Petersburg, as well as in its lesser-known towns such as Novgorod, Kazan and Tomsk. But it also dwells in huge and remote expanses such as Siberia, filled with ancient forests and the world’s largest lake. Everything exists here on an inhuman scale.
Since the 15th century, when the Grand Prince of Moscow, Ivan III (the Great), annexed the rival principalities of Rus, Russia’s ambitions have been as great as this first national sovereign’s appellation. It took Ivan the Terrible’s capture of the Tatar capital Kazan in 1552 and his subsequent annexation of Siberia, followed by Peter the Great’s expansion to the Baltic and the building of St Petersburg as his ‘window on Europe’ in the early 18th century, to create the vast nation we know as Russia today.
Modern Russia came bloodily to life in 1917 with a popular revolution followed by a coup that brought the Bolsheviks and Lenin to power. The repressive downward spiral that followed was one of the 20th centuries great crimes, with millions killed in the gulag labour camps.
Communism finally ended in 1991, but Russia’s problems are still very much in evidence. This is despite the fact that the country has become an oil and gassuperpower under outgoing President Vladimir Putin.
The largest country on earth, and doubtless one of the most fascinating and challenging, Russia is an experience as much as it is a destination. It is also far more likely to be an adventure rather than a holiday, although things are getting easier every year for travellers. Perhaps more than almost any other country, researching some Russian history and cultural norms, and knowing a smattering of the language, will enormously enhance any visit.
General Information
Eastern Europe/Asia.
Area
17,075,400 sq km (6,592,850 sq miles).
Population
141.4 million (UN 2007).
Population Density
8.4 per sq km.
Capital
Moscow. Population: 12.6 million (2007 estimate).
Government
Republic since 1991.
The Russian Federation covers almost twice the area of the USA, and reaches from the enclave of Kaliningrad in the west over the Urals and the vast Siberian plains to the Sea of Okhotsk in the east. The border between European Russia and Siberia (Asia) is formed by the Ural Mountains, the Ural River and the Manych Depression. European Russia extends from the North Polar Sea across the Central Russian Uplands to the Black Sea, the Northern Caucasus and the Caspian Sea. Siberia stretches from the West Siberian Plain across the Central Siberian Plateau to the Lena River and takes in the Sayan and Yablonovy ranges in the south. East of Siberia stretches the Russian Far East, a region almost as big as Siberia itself, running to the Pacific coast and including the vast Chukotka and Kamchatka peninsulas.
Language
Russian is the official language, although there are over 100 other languages. English is widely spoken by younger people as well as some educated older people.
Religion
Mainly Christian with the Russian Orthodox Church being the largest Christian community. Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish minorities also exist.
Time
The Russian Federation is divided into 11 time zones.
Kaliningrad: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Moscow, St Petersburg, Astrakhan: GMT + 3 (GMT + 3 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Izhevsk and Samara: GMT + 4 (GMT + 5 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Perm, Ekaterinburg, Surgut: GMT + 5 (GMT + 6 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Omsk and Novosibirsk: GMT + 6 (GMT + 7 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Abakan, Norilsk, Tura: GMT + 7 (GMT + 8 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Bratsk, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude: GMT + 8 (GMT + 9 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Mirnyy,Tynda,Yakutsk: GMT + 9 (GMT + 10 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno- Sakhalinsk: GMT + 10 (GMT + 11 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Magadan, Chirskiy: GMT + 11 (GMT + 12 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Anadyr, Petropavlosk-Kamchatskiy: GMT + 12 (GMT + 13 from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Social Conventions
It is customary to shake hands when greeting someone. Company or business gifts are well received. Conservative wear is suitable for most places and the seasonal weather should always be borne in mind. Smoking is acceptable unless stated otherwise.
Photography: It is prohibited to take photographs of any military installation and/or establishments or sites of strategic importance. Failure to abide by this could result in police arrest.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz; Russia uses a standard two-pin European plug.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov since 2004.
Head of State
President Vladimir Putin since 2000.
Passport / Visa
YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Passports
Valid passport with six months’ validity after the visa would expire required by all nationals of countries referred to in the chart above.
Visas
Required by all nationals of countries referred to in the chart above except the following, provided arriving from their country of origin:
(a) transit passengers who are continuing their journey within 24 hours without leaving the transit area.
Visa Note
(a) Nationals of countries not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses). (b) Those who are travelling in groups and tours should submit all documentation to the tour operator making the travel arrangements. For visits to relatives/friends in the CIS, enquire at the consulate for details of application procedures. (c) All travellers staying in the Russian Federation for longer than three days must register their visas within three working days of arrival, through their hotel or sponsor. Private visitors must register with local police on arrival. (d) All visitors must have confirmed accommodation or transit information for every night of their stay in the Russian Federation.
Types of Visa and Cost
Single entry: £45 (minimum seven days processing), £95 (same day processing); Double entry: £55 (minimum seven days processing), £105 (same day processing); Multiple entry: £110 (minimum seven days processing), £160 (same day processing).
Note: These prices are for British nationals applying at the embassy in London; others may vary. On 1 June 2007 the Russia-EU Visa facilitation agreement came into force. According to its provisions, visa processing fees were changed for the citizens of the following countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
The fees introduced are: for all types of visa (including multiple entry) for standard processing time: £25; for all types of visa (including multiple entry) for urgent processing: £50.
Validity
Business: up to 90 days; Multiple entry: six or 12 months with unlimited entries/exits; Tourist: maximum of 30 days; Private or Homestay: up to 90 days.
Applications to:
Consulate (or consular section at embassy); see Contact Addresses .
Working Days Required
Depending on type of visa and amount paid (see above). Postal applications usually take eight to 12 working days.
Money
Currency
Rouble (RUB; symbol руб) = 100 kopeks. Notes are in denominations of RUB5,000, 1,000, 500, 100, 50 and 10. Coins are in denominations of RUB10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 10, 5 and 1 kopeks.
Currency Exchange
Foreign currency should only be exchanged at official bureaux and authorised banks. It is wise to retain all exchange receipts. Bureaux de change are numerous and easy to locate. Large shops and hotels offer their own exchange facilities. All major currencies can be converted in big cities. Outside the main cities, travellers are advised to carry US Dollars or Euros. It is illegal to settle accounts in hard currency and to change money unofficially, although in practice both sometimes happen and are not risky. However, in general everyone will want to be paid in Roubles.
Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs
Major European and international credit and debit cards, including Visa and MasterCard, are accepted in the larger hotels and at foreign currency shops and restaurants, but cash (in Roubles) is more reliable. American Express cards are rarely accepted outside Moscow and St Petersburg. ATMs are widely available.
Traveller's Cheques
Cash is preferred. If carrying traveller’s cheques, major currencies are accepted in big cities, but US Dollars and Euros are preferred elsewhere.
Banking Hours
Mon-Fri 0930-1730.
Exchange Rate Indicators
| Date | Jul 07 |
| £1.00= | RUB51.67 |
| $1.00= | RUB25.72 |
| €1.00= | RUB34.93 |
Transport
Getting Around By Air
The internal network radiates from Moscow’s four airports. There are over 100 regional airlines in Russia, most of which run services from Moscow to their region. Aircraft safety has improved over the past ten years, although crashes are still not unknown. The purchase of newer craft and improved safety regulations have seen things slowly improve, however.
Domodedovo (DME) (website: www.domodedovo.ru) is 48km (25 miles) southeast of Moscow. To/from the airport:An Aeroexpress train goes from Moscow’s Paveletsky Station to the airport (journey time - 40 to 50 minutes). Express buses and a 24-hour shuttle service are also available. Two official taxi firms operate at the airport. Facilities: Duty-free, shops and restaurants.
Vnukovo Airport (VKO) (website: www.vnukovo.ru) is 29.5km (18 miles) southwest of Moscow. To/from the airport:High-speed trains connect the Kievsky Station in central Moscow with Vnukovo, and you can check in your bags before you board (journey time - 35 minutes). Taxis are available to the city. Facilities:Outgoing duty-free.
Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO) (website: www.sheremetyevo-airport.ru) is 30km (18.5 miles) north of Moscow. To/from the airport:Minibuses go to the airport from metro station Rechnoy Vokzal (journey time - 20 minutes). Taxis are also available to the city. Facilities:Outgoing duty-free.
Getting Around by Water
The Russian Federation has ports on its Pacific, Arctic, Black Sea and Baltic shores (see Getting There for details).
Cruises and excursions are available on many of the Russian Federation’s rivers. The most popular cruises are on the River Don and the Volga. Many companies offer cruises onboard comfortable, modern boats. The Volga towns, the Golden Ring and Moscow-St Petersburg are popular routes.
Getting Around by Rail
The railway is a vital part of the infrastructure of Russia because of the poor road system. Tourists can book tickets at stations or online via the state railway (tel: (495) 262 9901; website: www.eng.rzd.ru). Children under five years of age travel free. Children aged five to nine pay half fare. Rail travellers are advised to store valuables in the compartment under the bed or seat and not to leave the compartment unattended.
The Trans-Siberian Express, one of the most famous trains in the world, is one of the best ways of seeing the interior of the country. It runs from Moscow to the Pacific coast of Siberia and on to Japan. There is a daily service, but the steamer from Nakhodka to Yokohama only sails approximately once a week. The through journey from Moscow to Yokohama takes 10 days. It is the world’s longest continuous train journey, crossing seven time zones and 9,745km (5,778 miles) from Europe to the Pacific, with 91 stops from Vladivostok to Moscow.
The Trans-Manchurian Express follows the same route, before heading southeast into China and down to Beijing. Another, slightly shorter but no less epic, journey can be made on the Trans-Mongolian Railway to Beijing. It runs from Moscow to Irkutsk (Siberia), skirting Lake Baikal and then entering Mongolia. The journey to the Mongolian capital, Ulaan Baatar, is remarkable for its dramatic scenery. The journey concludes in Beijing.
Getting Around by Road
The European part of the Russian Federation depends heavily on its road network. Generally, the few roads in Siberia and further east are impassable during the winter. It is not recommended to drive in Russia as harassment from traffic police is endless. If you do decide to drive, it is advisable to pre-plan the itinerary and accommodation requirements. On the majority of tourist routes, signposts are also written in the Latin alphabet. Sample distances: Moscow to St Petersburg: 692km (432 miles); Moscow to Minsk: 690km (429 miles); Moscow to Rostov-on-Don: 1,198km (744 miles); Moscow to Odessa: 1,347km (837 miles). Motorists should avoid driving at night if possible.
Bus: Long-distance coach services are slow, uncomfortable and only marginally cheaper than train travel with none of the romance.
Car hire: Available from local and international firms. Chauffeured cars are available in major cities.
Regulations: Traffic drives on the right. Speed limits are to 60kph (37mph) in built-up areas, 90kph (55mph) in non-built-up areas and 100kph (62mph) on highways. Visiting motorists who have been driving for less than two years must not exceed 70kph (43mph). Hooting the horn is forbidden except when to do so might prevent an accident. Every car must display registration plates and stickers denoting the country of registration and be fitted with seat belts, a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher and an emergency sign (triangle) or red light. In case of an accident, contact the nearest traffic inspection officer and make sure all participants fill in written statements, to be witnessed by a militia inspector. All repairs will be at the foreign motorist’s expense.
Emergency breakdown service:GAI (tel: (495) 923 5373).
Documentation: An International Driving Permit and a national licence with authorised translations are necessary. Visitors travelling in their own cars must also possess the following documents at all times: passport and visa; car registration number and full details of itinerary; form provided by Customs on arrival guaranteeing that the car will be taken out of the Russian Federation on departure; and insurance cover documents. A road tax is payable upon entry to the country. Motor insurance for travel within the Russian Federation should be arranged prior to departure, or upon entry to the Russian Federation at the offices of Ingosstrakh, the Russian Federation foreign insurance agency. Contact the embassy or a specialist tour operator for further details.
Getting Around Towns and Cities
Public transport in the cities is comprehensive and cheap. Many services are electric traction (metro, tramway, trolleybus). Stations on the Moscow and St Petersburg metros are always elegant and often palatial. Entry to the underground is by single-use tokens or a multi-use paper ticket, both of which are inserted into the ticket barrier. Fares are standard for the various forms of transport; weekly and monthly passes are available. Buses operate 0500-0000. Tickets are available in strips or booklets from people outside the metro station or from the drivers or bus conductors (look for the red armband) directly. Tickets must be punched in the machine provided on the bus. Taxis are also available; they can be hailed in the street, hired at a rank or booked by telephone. It is safer but far more expensive to use officially marked taxis; they are yellow with chequered signs on the doors, although in practice it is totally safe to flag down any car, agree a destination and price and get in. However, always use common sense.
Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Moscow to other major cities/towns in the Russian Federation:
| | Air | Rail | Sea |
| Khabarovsk | 7.30 | 97.00 | - |
| St Petersburg | 1.30 | 9.00 | - |
| Irkutsk | 7.00 | 77.00 | - |
| Volgograd | 1.40 | 14.00 | - |
Entertainment
Food and Drink
The kind of food visitors will eat from day to day depends on which city they are visiting and the time of year. Breakfast is often similar to that eaten in Scandinavian countries, with cold meats, boiled eggs and bread served with Russian tea. For the midday and evening meal the food is often more traditional, again depending on the region.
Things to know: City-centre bars are usually open until the early hours.
National specialities:
•Kasha (porridge) is a staple breakfast dish, made with milk and oats, buckwheat or semolina.
•Blini (small pancakes filled with caviar, fish, melted butter or sour cream).
•Ponchiki (hot sugared doughnuts).
•Pirozhky (fried rolls with different fillings, usually meat).
• Borshch, a beetroot soup served hot with sour cream.
•Pelmeni (meat dumplings).
National drinks:
•Chai (sweet tea served without milk).
• Vodka (often flavoured and coloured with herbs and spices such as zubrovka (a kind of grass), ryabinovka (steeped with rowan-tree berries), starka (dark, smooth, aged vodka) and pertsovka (with hot pepper). Russky Standard, Stolichnaya and Gzhelkaare popular brands.
• Krushon (cold ‘punch’; champagne, brandy and summer fruit are poured into a hollowed watermelon and chilled for several hours).
• Nalivka (sweet liqueur made with fruit or berries).
•Nastoika (fortified wine made of herbs, leaves, flowers, fruit and roots of plants with medicinal properties).
Tipping: Hotels in Moscow and other large cities include a 10 to 15% service charge. Otherwise 10% is customary.
Nightlife
Theatre, circus, concert and variety performances are the main evening entertainments. Tickets are available in advance or from ticket booths immediately before performances. Visitors should note that prices for foreigners are usually much higher than those paid by Russian nationals. The repertoire of theatres provides a change of programme almost nightly. In the course of one month, 30 different productions may be presented by the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Company. Visitors can get more information at the service bureau of their hotel. All of these establishments are open 0600-2200.
Shopping
A wide range of goods, such as watches, cameras, wines and spirits, ceramics and glass, jewellery and toys may be bought in Moscow and St Petersburg. Shops take payment in Roubles and, usually, by credit card. It is necessary to allow extra time for souvenir hunting: shopping can be a time-consuming activity, owing to the relatively chaotic state of the retail trade in the Russian Federation. It is also advisable to shop around, as prices vary significantly. A good strategy is to choose your souvenirs in a department store such as GUM (on Red Square), and then buy them in a smaller, less centrally located shop. Kholui and Palekh lacquered boxes make attractive souvenirs. Traditional and satirical Matryoshkadolls (wooden dolls within dolls) are widely available. Khokhloma wooden cups, saucers and spoons are painted gold, red and black. DymkovskayaIgrushka are pottery figurines based on popular folklore characters. Engraved amber, Gzhel porcelain, Vologda lace and Fabergé eggs and jewellery are highly sought after.
A samovar (typical metal container used to boil water for tea) makes a good souvenir. Antiquities, valuables, works of art and manuscripts other than those offered for sale in souvenir shops may not be taken out of the Russian Federation without an export licence.
Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1900. Most food shops are also open on Sunday. Department stores and supermarkets are open throughout lunchtime. Stores that are open 24 hours a day are becoming more common.
Top things to see
• Head for the focal point of Moscow, Red Square, on one side of which is the Kremlin (website: www.kremlin.ru), surrounded by a thick red fortress wall containing 20 towers. Within its grounds, the Uspensky Cathedral (1475-79) contains three of the oldest Russian icons.
• Take a peek into St Basil’s Cathedral, built 1555-60, which stands over the entrance to Red Square and is the ultimate symbol of Russia with its colourful onion domes and fascinating icons. Ivan the Terrible reportedly blinded its architects following completion to prevent them creating anything more beautiful.
• Pay your respects in Lenin’s Mausoleum,which is still open to the public on most days. Look for the queues across Red Square and don’t talk as you file past the waxy-green looking father of the Russian Revolution.
• Visit the ancient towns of great historical, architectural and spiritual significance known as the Golden Ring, extending northeast from Moscow. They are a rich collection of kremlins (citadels), monasteries, cathedrals and fortresses.
•Go to St Petersburg, Russia’s most beautiful city. It is spread over 42 islands in the delta of the River Neva and is more Western in character than Moscow. Peter the Great built the city in 1703 and it remained capital for 200 years of Tsarist Russia.
• Marvel at the neoclassical ensemble of Palace Square and the Winter Palace, centerpieces to St Petersburg. The palace is also home to the world-class Hermitageart museum (website: www.hermitage.ru); its vast collection includes everything from ancient Egypt to Picasso.
• Let your jaw drop in the gorgeously decorated Yusupov Palace (website: www.yusupov-palace.ru), built for the Romanovs. Its rooms are sumptuously decorated in 19th-century style. The concert hall is now a venue for the arts. A waxwork exhibition also commemorates Rasputin, who died here.
• The grand Nevsky Prospekt, dominated by the spire of the Admiralty Building, is one of the city’s main thoroughfares and is lined by opulent buildings. These include the Kazan Cathedral and the stunning Church on the Spilled Blood.
• Visit the extraordinary collection of tsarist-era palaces on the outskirts of St Petersburg. Peterhof (website: www.peterhof.ru) is a former summer palace of Peter the Great and is known for its beautiful cascades and fountains. The Grand Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo (website: http://eng.tzar.ru/) was built for Peter the Great’s wife.
• Locate some of Russia’s wonderful wildlife. The Kursche Spit is a beautiful sand peninsula extending nearly 100km (63 miles) along the coast, and is a rich habitat for plants and animals. Near Vladivostok is the Ussuriysk Taiga, a unique habitat for plants of the pre-glacial period, as well as tigers, leopard, bison, boar and bears.
• Step back into a momentous time at Volgograd, formerly Stalingrad, which stands at the confluence of the Volga and Don rivers. The Victory Museum celebrates the victory over the Nazis, and the whole city is a monument to the year-long battle that took place there. Tours to the battlefields are available.
• Find utter isolation in Siberia, which covers an area of over 12.8 million sq km (4 million sq miles), containing unimaginably vast stretches of marshy forest (taiga). This ‘sleeping land’ possesses a million lakes, 53,000 rivers and an enormous wealth of natural resources.
• See the world’s deepest lake, Lake Baikal, which is accessible from Irkutsk by hydrofoil during the summer. With a depth of 1,637m (5,371ft), it is the world’s deepest lake and has a 2,000km (1243-mile) shoreline. The purity of its water is maintained by millions of tiny crayfish, providing a habitat for a wide variety of fish.
See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.
Top things to do
• Have a night out in Moscow, where you are spoiled for choice as to what to do. The world-famous Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre (website: www.bolshoi.ru) at Teatralnaya Square dates from 1824 and has an interior colour scheme of red and gold.
• Take a Russian banya (steam bath) and experience an integral part of Russian culture. Banyas range from small homely affairs in someone’s garden to lavish and expensive places for the wealthy to spend time in bigger cities.
• Go skiing in the Caucasus and in the far eastern peninsula of Kamchatka, where the powdery snow rivals that of Colorado and there is guaranteed snow throughout the short season. Cross-country skiing is popular in Karelia on two of Europe’s biggest lakes.
• Laze on a beach on the ‘Russian Riviera’ around Sochi on the Black Sea. For generations this has been Russia’s holiday hotspot and is now a home from home to the new generation of wealthyRussians seeking sun and sand.
• Go trekking in the stunningly beautiful Caucasus, where Europe’s highest peak, Mount Elbrus, at 5,642m (18,510ft) straddles the border between Russia and Georgia to the south. The entire region from Black Sea to Caspian is probably the most beautiful in the whole country.
• Visit the Altai region of southern Siberia, which rivals Switzerland for rolling hills, snowy peaks, flowers and pine forests. Despite the terrible cold of winter here, summer temperatures are warm and the air heady with the scents of its flowers, herbs and trees.
• Climb volcanoes in incredible Kamchatka, one of the most volatile and volcanic places on earth. The Valley of the Geysers, its most spectacular natural marvel, can only be visited by helicopter but is one of the most exciting trips you can take.
• Experience the real Russia by taking a long-distance trainjourney. Trains are a comfortable, reliable and exciting way to see Russia; you can cover the entire length of the country from Murmansk to Vladivostok.
•Fish in the teeming rivers of northwest Russia, Siberia and the Far East; they offer an incredible variety of challenging fishing, including some of the world’s largest and most aggressive freshwater fish.
• Take to Russia’s vast rivers for an exciting cruise, kayaking or rafting trip. The Volga, Oband Lenaall have comfortable cruise boats trawling their length during the summer months, while the Altai is the best bet for adventure seekers.
See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.
Business
Statistics
• GDP: US$733 billion (2007 estimate).
• Main imports: Machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicine, meat and sugar.
• Main exports: Petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood products, chemicals and manufactured goods.
•Main trade partners: Germany, Ukraine, China (PR), Italy and The Netherlands.
Economy
Russia has huge deposits of oil and gas (its major export earners) as well as coal and minerals including gold, diamonds, nickel, manganese, copper, iron ore and phosphates. Energy products and heavy industry (production of vehicles, metal goods, construction materials and machinery) are the kernel of Russia’s industrial sector. Textiles and chemicals are other important industries.
The sheer size and diversity of the country has made economic reform in the Russian Federation a gargantuan task, especially by comparison with its former East European allies and the other 14 Soviet republics.
Since then, the economy has undergone a significant recovery with average annual growth of 5% in the last five years (the figure in 2007 was an incredible 10.9%). The government has got on top of the hyper-inflation that caused so much damage in the initial stages of the reform process. At 8% (2007), current inflation is high by recent Western standards but not unmanageable. Unemployment runs at 6.6% (2006 estimate). Russia hosts a substantial informal or ‘grey’ economy in which between 25 and 40% of the workforce are engaged to some extent.
Business Etiquette
As a result of recent economic changes that have taken place in the Russian Federation, there are now many thousands of private companies in operation and international business relations have become active. The main business centres are Moscow, St Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk and Vladivostok.
Office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800.
Commercial Information
Ministry for Economic Development and Trade for the Russian Federation - Department for Economic Co-operation with Europe
A/47 1-aya Tverskaya-Yamskaya Ulitsa, 125993, Moscow, Russian Federation
Tel: (495) 694 0353.
Website: www.economy.gov.ru
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
St. Ilyinka 6, 109012, Moscow, Russian Federation
Tel: (495) 620 0009.
Website: www.tpprf.ru
The Trade Delegation of the Russian Federation in the UK
32-3 Highgate West Hill, London N6 6NL, UK
Tel: (020) 8340 1907 or 4491 or 3272.
Website: www.rustradeuk.org
Russo-British Chamber of Commerce in the UK
42 Southwark Street, London SE1 1UN, UK
Tel: (020) 7403 1706.
Website: www.rbcc.co.uk
Communications
Telephone
Country code: 7. When dialling the Russian Federation from abroad, the 0 of the area code must not be omitted. Most Moscow hotels have telephone booths with IDD. For long-distance calls within the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), dial 8 then wait for the dial tone before proceeding with the call. Collect calls, calls placed using credit cards and calls from direct dial telephones in hotels can be extremely expensive. International calls can be made from phones in the street and phonecards are available from many shops and kiosks in the street. The emergency services can be reached as follows: fire - 01; police - 02; ambulance - 03. For enquiries regarding Moscow private telephone numbers, dial 09; for businesses, 927 0009.
Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. All major cities are covered by at least one operator. Handsets can be hired from some companies and local SIM cards are easily purchased for use within Russia.
Internet
Public access is available in hotels in larger cities and in Internet cafes.
Media
The arrival of Putin in 2000 saw a new era of central press control for Russia after a decade of unprecedented freedom. There is currently no independently owned national TV network, and most of the mainstream press is uncritical of the Kremlin.
Post
Airmail to Western Europe takes over 10 days. There are postboxes and post offices in every hotel. Inland surface mail is often slow.
Post office hours: 0900-1900.
Press
• The main quality dailies in the Russian Federation are Izvestiya, Kommersant and Vedomosti, all published in Moscow.
• Big circulation tabloids include Argumenti I Fakti and Komosmolskaya Pravda.
• The daily Moscow Times and semi-weekly St Petersburg Times are published in English.
Radio
• Radio Russia and Radio Mayak are state-run networks.
• Russkoye Radio and Eko Moskvyare privately run.
• Voice of Russia operates programmes in English and other languages.