Life in Russia

[Jaak]

Russia seizes and nationalizes largest gold mining company from billionaire estimated to be worth $1.9B
https://en.as.com/latest_news/russia...e-worth-19b-n/

Billionaire Konstantin Strukov was stopped by authorities in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk while trying to fly to Turkey on his private jet, even though a court had banned him from leaving the country.

Strukov — who leads the mining company Yuzhuralzoloto and serves as a local lawmaker — was about to take off in his Bombardier business jet when officials blocked the flight. They also took away his international passport, which had already been canceled.

A Russian court had earlier forbidden Strukov and his family from leaving Russia after the Prosecutor General’s Office filed a lawsuit to seize his assets. Prosecutors claim Strukov illegally took control of several gold and coal mining companies, including Yuzhuralzoloto, by putting them under the names of relatives and fake owners. Strukov has said he wasn’t trying to run from the Russian authorities.

[Jaak]

[Jaak]

2 of them die at the same day ? Odd things are happening in russia ...

[Jaak]

[Ravenlocke]

Chinese Tourists Top the Visit Russia Charts
https://russiaspivottoasia.com/chine...russia-charts/
Mainland Chinese are now the largest single nationality for inbound tourist trips to Russia. #ChineseTourists #VisitRussia #ChinaRussia

https://x.com/RussiasPivot/status/1943685430005600730

https://russiaspivottoasia.com/chine...russia-charts/


Chinese Tourists Top the Visit Russia Charts
July 11, 2025 China, Exports, Imports, Trade By Russia's Pivot to Asia
The mutual tourism flow between Russia and China reached 2.7 million visits in 2024 and grew further by 20% in Q1 2025, the Russian Economic Development Ministry has stated.

Dmitry Vakhrukov, Russia’s Deputy Economic Development Minister, said, “The total tourism flow reached 2.7 million visits last year. Chinese citizens made 1.2 million tourist trips to Russia, taking first place among tourists visiting our country.” He was speaking at the 22nd meeting of the subcommittee on cooperation in tourism as part of the Russian-Chinese Commission for Humanitarian Cooperation in China’s Qingdao.

Russian tourists made 1.5 million trips to China, ranking fifth among countries most Russian tourists visit. Vakhrukov said that “Q1 2025 also shows positive dynamics in the growth of mutual tourist trips. A total of 550,000 trips were made, 20% more than in the same period of 2024.”

Direct flights from Russia and visa-free entry mean that vacations on China’s Hainan Island are very popular among Russian tourists.

The Russian Economic Development Ministry added that they were formalizing a draft protocol to the existing agreement between the Russian and Chinese governments on visa-free group tours and that this is actively progressing. The protocol covers already approved changes to the duration and facilities offered to a tourist group’s stay in the country and new provisions taking into account Russian legislation in the regulation of tour guides and guides-interpreters.

Further Reading

Russia’s 2025 Inbound Tourism Volumes Expected To Increase By 20-25%

https://russiaspivottoasia.com/russi...ease-by-20-25/


Russia’s 2025 Inbound Tourism Volumes Expected To Increase By 20-25%
May 31, 2025 Asia, China, Imports, India, Middle East, Trade By Russia's Pivot to Asia
The Association of Tour Operators of Russia ATOR) has stated that the forecast volumes of inbound tourists to Russia this year was expected to rise by 25% to reach about 2 million visitors, while the number of outbound Russian tourists is expected to increase to 6.4 million during 2025. The predictions were made by Alexander Musikhin, ATOR’s Vice President for inbound tourism and a general director of Intourist.

Musikhin stated, “Last summer, in 2024, the organized inbound tourism market registered a sharp increase in the number of foreigners traveling to Russia, three times the number during the ‘lost’ summer of 2023. In 2024, flows largely stabilized, meaning the comparison base was no longer so low. For 2025, the market increase will most likely no longer be so vast but continue organically. Forecast data for organized tourism is 20-25%.”

There are several factors affecting inbound tourism during high season, which might correct the forecast downward, he said. The first of these factors is the considerable strengthening of the Russian ruble against the US dollar and the euro.

Musikhin said that “All services in the dollar equivalent are becoming more costly, and our partners abroad are very sensitive to it; they are constantly asking and re-asking for a better price. At the same time, the demand among foreigners for quality accommodation during high season is very high, so no one is talking of any discounts. On the contrary, hotel and transportation prices increased by at least 30%. The average price of a Russia tour, including flights, for a foreign tourist is currently over US$2,000.”

Other factors affecting Russia’s inbound tourism are the requirement for tourists from visa-free countries to register on the Gosuslugi website and an insufficient number of direct flights from the most promising countries sending tourists: Saudi Arabia, Oman, India, Malaysia, and several others. The issue with using foreign bank cards to pay for goods and services in Russia, which is currently impossible, also has an impact.

This summer, the biggest number of tourists are expected from China, who account for an estimated 65% of the total, tour operators said. In second place are the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf states (around 18%). They are followed by Iran (around 8%), India (around 4%), Southeast Asian countries (around 4%), the CIS, Turkiye, and Europe (around 1%).

The most popular destinations among organized foreign tourists are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, North Caucasus, and Kazan. Chinese groups tend to prefer Siberian and Far Eastern cities.

In total, up to 800,000-850,000 foreign business travelers and tourists (both organized and independent) are predicted to visit Russia in the June-August summer months.

Further Reading

Foreign Visitor To Russia Arrivals Up 95%, With Asian Arrivals Dominating

[Ravenlocke]

From RT,

🇷🇺 Satanism completely BANNED in Russia for the first time

After Supreme Court OUTLAWS and recognizes the 'International Satanist Movement' as extremist

Part of move to combat ideologies against traditional spiritual and moral values


https://x.com/RT_com/status/1947969588412756368

[Ravenlocke]

From Sputnik,

RUSSIA BANS INTERNATIONAL SATANISM MOVEMENT FOR PROMOTING EXTREMISM

The movement is linked to ritual killings, cannibalism, rape, and grave desecration.

After February 2022, Satanists openly backed the Ukrainian army.

https://x.com/SputnikInt/status/1948011456680636695

[Bill Ryan]

A beautiful 15 minute walk through St Petersburg, filmed and published a couple of weeks ago.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=wQxPf1KXUXg

[Ravenlocke]

Average Salaries In Russia Set To Increase By 12% In 2025

https://russiaspivottoasia.com/avera...by-12-in-2025/

The average Russian wage is set to increase by 12% during 2025.

https://x.com/RussiasPivot/status/1948018363638141040

https://russiaspivottoasia.com/avera...by-12-in-2025/

Average Salaries In Russia Set To Increase By 12% In 2025

July 23, 2025 Economy, Finance, Russian Market By Russia's Pivot to Asia

Average monthly salaries in Russia are expected to grow to ₽100,000 (US$1,273) by the end of 2025, an increase of 12% over the year, according to Izvestia, Russia’s equivalent of the Financial Times.

The best earners now are in the IT sector, finance and raw material extraction, insurance, construction, transportation and storage, while the manufacturing industry has the fastest growing income growth rate. Salaries will actively increase in industries that fulfil government orders. The strengthening of the Ruble against the US dollar has also played a role in the dynamics of salaries.

The expected inflation rate in Russia for 2025 is expected to be between 8-9%. Russia’s GDP growth for the year is expected to be about 1.4% this year, better than the larger European economies.

Further Reading

Russia’s 2024 Median Salary Growth Was The Highest Since 2018

[Ravenlocke]

China’s Great Wall Autos Investing In Auto Components Plant In Tula

https://russiaspivottoasia.com/china...plant-in-tula/

China's Great Wall Motors are adding a Haval brand auto components manufacturing plant to their factory in Tula. #GreatWallMotors #ChinaAuto #HavalJolion

https://russiaspivottoasia.com/china...plant-in-tula/


China’s Great Wall Autos Investing In Auto Components Plant In Tula

July 22, 2025 China, Investment, Russian Market, Trade By Russia's Pivot to Asia

China’s Great Wall Motors (GWM) will build a new plant for the production of automobile components and transmissions in Russia’s Tula Region. GWM and the regional government signed the agreement on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June.

The plant, which will create 1,000 jobs, will be built at the Uzlovaya Industrial Park, where a full-cycle car assembly plant has been operating since 2019. In April, an engine assembly plant was also launched there, where GWM branded engines are assembled.

Dmitry Milyaev, the Tula Region Governor said “The Tula Region will provide the company with the necessary assistance for the rapid and effective implementation of the project.” Tula is famous is Russia for its metal-working. GWM’s Tula investment is the largest made by any Chinese manufacturer in Russia.

GWM is one of the top ten Chinese automobile manufacturers, with 1.23 million vehicles sold globally last year. Its GWM plant in Tula has produced 375,000 cars over the past six years, including six crossovers under its Haval marque: Jolion, F7, the F7x, Dargo, H3 and H7.

Further Reading

China Auto Manufacturer Considering Manufacturing Facility In Siberia and Russian Far East

https://russiaspivottoasia.com/china...sian-far-east/


China Auto Manufacturer Considering Manufacturing Facility In Siberia and Russian Far East

November 28, 2024 China, Foreign Investment, Imports, Russian Market By Russia's Pivot to Asia

A Chinese automaker is considering Novosibirsk and Irkutsk regions as possible locations for a plant, the chairman of the Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RAUIE), Vitaly Mankevich has stated. He was speaking at the GlobalSibExpo-China 2024 Automobile Transport, Logistics and Engineering Forum in Novosibirsk.

Mankevich said that “The construction of a Chinese automobile company’s plant with [Russian state corporation] Rostec is now being discussed. Construction of the plant is expected to start in the second half of 2025 or the beginning of 2026.”

He also said the federal authorities and Russian businesses are interested in the construction of a hub to sell Chinese auto parts in Novosibirsk Region, saying that “Various goods will be shipped to Russia, including through Mongolia.”

The only Chinese automaker that is highly localized in Russia now is Great Wall, which manufactures Haval cars at its own plant in the Tula Region under a special investment contract with Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry. The company recently announced plans to expand the plant’s capacity from 150,000 to 200,000 vehicles per year.

China’s auto industry strategy for entering the Russian market has been to manufacture kits in China, then assemble in Russia. Moscow now wants Chinese manufacturers to at least partially manufacture component parts in Russia.

In related market intelligence, Russian Railways (RZD) has proposed to build a distribution centre in Novosibirsk for automobiles imported from China. Kenan Abasov, the deputy head of RZD’s West Siberian Corporate Transport Services Centre said at the same GlobalSibExpo-China event that “Concerning China, we have a new idea to set up a distribution centre to ship in, and import automobiles. Dealers are opening up in Western Siberia, and more and more importers in the country are selling Chinese automobiles such as Chery and Geely. We’ve found some points of contact with them.”

https://russiaspivottoasia.com/wp-co...Russia_Map.jpg

He said automobiles from China now “go directly to Moscow,” but if a distribution centre is built in Novosibirsk it would also serve Kemerovo Region and Eastern Siberia. This would enable Russian automobile dealers to get vehicles faster and automakers to increase sales and reduce transport costs, Abasov said, adding that RZD would increase freight car turnover in this case. There are now ten Chery and Geely dealerships in Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk.

Russia’s domestic sales of new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (LCV) surged 35% year-on-year to 155.3 million vehicles in 2024 January-August this year, according to the Russian Association of European Businesses (AEB), which monitors the auto industry in Russia. That implies an annual Russian new vehicle market of about 233 million vehicles.

Further Reading

China’s Chery Auto Manufacturer Now The Largest Foreign Company In Russia By Revenue

[Ravenlocke]

Russia Becomes Biggest Buyer of Turkish Salmon

https://russiaspivottoasia.com/russi...urkish-salmon/

Turkiye replaces Norway as Russia's largest supplier of salmon
#SeafoodSupplyChain

https://x.com/RussiasPivot/status/1947309225803227642

https://russiaspivottoasia.com/russi...urkish-salmon/

Russia Becomes Biggest Buyer of Turkish Salmon
July 21, 2025 Agriculture, Imports, Middle East, Russian Market By Russia's Pivot to Asia

Türkiye’s aquaculture exports reached US$217 million in H1 2025, with Russia and Belarus emerging as the leading buyers, according to data compiled from the Aegean Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters’ Association.

Turkish salmon emerged as the fastest-growing product in Türkiye’s aquaculture sector. Russia previously sourced its salmon from European nations such as Norway, but sanctions have stopped this trade. Turkish salmon is actually a variety of trout farmed in the Black Sea and has seen rising demand across global markets. According to industry data, Türkiye produced 32,000 tons of Turkish salmon in the first six months of the year.

With harvesting completed by July, the entire stock of both fresh and frozen products is expected to be sold by year-end, generating an estimated US$500–US$600 million in export earnings, primarily benefiting producers in the Black Sea region. Sector representatives project that continued investment in processing and filleting capacity will enable entry into new international markets. Long-term forecasts indicate that Turkish salmon exports could surpass US$1 billion annually by 2032.

Russia, with its huge landmass, is the 69th biggest consumer of seafood in the world, with an average per capita consumption of 21.76 kg per annum.

Further Reading

Vladivostok Marine Fishing Port Begins Service to Import Fish From China’s Qingdao

[Ravenlocke]

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Culture Festival Opens in Moscow and St. Petersburg

Moscow & St. Petersburg, Russia – July 29, 2025
The vibrant spirit of Vietnam has arrived in Russia as the Vietnamese Culture Festival officially opened this week, welcoming guests to explore the rich traditions, art, and heritage of the Southeast Asian nation.

📍 Festival at Manezhnaya Square, Moscow

Held in the heart of Moscow at Manezhnaya Square, the festival will run until August 3, offering locals and tourists alike the chance to immerse themselves in Vietnamese culture through more than 100 events.

Visitors can enjoy:
•Traditional music and dance performances
•Vietnamese cuisine
•Handicrafts and folk art exhibitions
•Interactive workshops and cultural displays

The event aims to deepen cultural ties between Russia and Vietnam while providing a platform to celebrate Vietnam’s diversity and historical legacy.

📍 Ho Chi Minh Square Unveiled in St. Petersburg

In St. Petersburg, cultural diplomacy took another symbolic step with the unveiling of Ho Chi Minh Square, named after the iconic Vietnamese leader and a long-standing symbol of Vietnamese-Russian friendship.

The opening ceremony was attended by high-profile figures, including:
•Governor Alexander Beglov of St. Petersburg
•Ngo Phuong Ly, wife of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam
•Dang Minh Khoi, Ambassador of Vietnam to Russia

The new square not only honors the legacy of Ho Chi Minh but also strengthens the historical and political bond between the two countries.

This festival and the inauguration of Ho Chi Minh Square come amid broader cultural and diplomatic engagement between Russia and Vietnam, showcasing enduring mutual respect and cooperation.

https://x.com/Zlatti_71/status/1950218731365257671

[Ravenlocke]

🇸🇦✈️🇷🇺 Historic First Direct Flight from Saudi Arabia to Russia Lands in Moscow

A new era of Saudi-Russian ties just touched down—literally.

The inaugural direct scheduled flight from Riyadh to Moscow landed at Vnukovo Airport today, marking the first regular air link between the two nations in years. Operated by Saudi low-cost carrier Flynas, the Airbus A320 departed Riyadh at 08:42 Moscow time and landed at 13:46, with plans to fly the route three times weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays). A Riyadh–St. Petersburg route is planned.

Russian Deputy Transport Minister Vladimir Poteshkin called the launch a “landmark event in civil aviation history,” crediting coordination between Russian agencies and Saudi partners. Passengers voiced hopes for visa-free travel to deepen ties.

🛑 From Pause to Partnership

Air links were suspended in 2020 and never resumed—until now. The delay stemmed from perceived low demand, but Saudi Arabia has since surged into Russia’s top three inbound tourism markets, with visits jumping 47-fold since 2019 (9,900 in Q1 2025).

🚀 What’s Next

Flynas will initially operate three weekly flights, with approval for up to four weekly flights through October 25. Meanwhile, Russia’s Azimut Airlines is preparing reciprocal flights by October. Today’s landing isn’t just a route—it’s a runway for a strategic partnership, fueled by tourism, business, and diplomacy.

https://x.com/apocalypseos/status/1951389910700818872

[Ravenlocke]

🇷🇺 The manufacturer of amphibious all-terrain vehicles, Zvezda, has released the first prototype of a new Arctic bus. In addition, production has been prepared for the mass production of all-terrain vehicles, with a capacity of 50-70 vehicles per year.

The Zvezda T24 is a comfortable 24-seater Arctic bus for inter-village and tourist transportation. The company plans to produce a modification of the all-terrain vehicle as an ambulance for Arctic residents. All-terrain vehicles "Zvezda m" (medical modifications)

https://x.com/TomatkaP/status/1951344628193501232

are available in classes "A", "B", and "C", including specialized vehicles (neonatal resuscitation, cardiorespiratory resuscitation, and others), as well as all-terrain vehicles "Medical Service" in accordance with all the standards applicable to these vehicles.

Negotiations are underway to supply these vehicles to the regions of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, including Chukotka and Yakutia.

https://x.com/TomatkaP/status/1951344653476708551

[Bill Ryan]

Connoisseurs of this thread may appreciate the following.

In the US, the Republican party posted this:



But the old car behind Trump is a Russian Lada 1200.

[norman]

Entering Russia's "Most Dangerous Region"
Matt and Julia - Jul 30, 2025

Travelling through 'the most dangerous region' in Russia. Join us as we travel through Dagestan, Chechnya (Chechen Republic) and Ingushetia in the North Caucasus. This part of Russia, on the crossroads of Europe and Asia, is often feared by outsiders. Join us, as we attempt to hitchhike across this wild region of southern Russia and learn more about what life is really like here in 2025.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=KQdXqv-LHYI

[Jaak]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=-cRUuYrRbC8

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=sNmtf62Ha3c

[Ravenlocke]

Sputnik Africa,


🤸 Russian athlete Maria Roslyakova made history on July 7 as the first to perform a rhythmic gymnastics routine at the North Pole, showcasing ribbon, ball, and clubs in near-freezing temperatures at 90°N.

https://x.com/sputnik_africa/status/1954250828308783444

Maria Roslyakova, a Russian gymnast, accomplished two records at once — national and world.

At the top of the world, she performed a gymnastics routine officially recognized as the northernmost in history.

She was watched over by a Russian Nuclear Powered Ice Breaker.

https://x.com/BowesChay/status/1954177543067652100

[Ravenlocke]

🇷🇺 “Strength in Truth—2025” Rally Unites Russia’s Far East in Patriotic Display

In the heart of Russia’s Far East, Magadan’s Mayak Park came alive as the historic “Strength in Truth—2025” rally drew 10,000 attendees. This remote port city, located along the Sea of Okhotsk nearly 6,000 km east of Moscow, hosted residents, Pacific Fleet sailors, and visitors from across the region for this significant patriotic event.

Governor Sergei Nosov opened the ceremony by welcoming Admiral Viktor Liina, commander of the Pacific Fleet, who emphasized Magadan’s strategic naval legacy. Until 1994, the city served as a base for Soviet-era submarine brigades, making it a fitting starting point for this tour of Russia’s Pacific territories.

The emotional highlight came as rows of young Yunarmiya recruits (Russia’s national patriotic youth movement) stood at attention, swearing their oath to defend the Motherland. Attendees explored advanced naval weaponry aboard the landing ship Oslyabya, wrote letters to frontline troops, and watched marine commandos demonstrate combat readiness.

Having concluded its Magadan stop on August 10, the squadron now sails to other key Far Eastern locations: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on the Pacific coast, then north to Anadyr - the capital of Chukotka just 85 km from Alaska across the Bering Strait. Subsequent stops include Provideniya and multiple Kuril Islands bases facing Japan.

More than a military exhibition, the event showcased the Far East’s vital role in Russia’s defense architecture while strengthening bonds between service members and civilians in these strategically crucial regions.

https://x.com/apocalypseos/status/1955374635421405372

[Ravenlocke]

🇷🇺😍✈️ Beauties on the turns: female pilots demonstrated their skills in the sky.

The girl's aerobatic team "Barsy" performed advanced aerobatic maneuvers on the Yak-52. #Russian #Russia

https://x.com/MaimunkaNews/status/1955366287493972225