How safe is visiting Russia?

Question

I am planning to visit Russia next summer, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Volgograd are part of the itinerary.

How safe is for brown (Latin American and Middle East looking) people to go to these cities?

I have heard that racism in Moscow is rampant for people that do not look Russian...

Thanks for your answer.

Answer 1

Right now it's not safe because of the war between Russia & Georgia. It won't be safe until the war between those 2 are over.

Answer 2

Its safe, just don't attract too much attention to yourself and I don't suggest traveling alone at night, and always have someone who actually speaks Russian.

Because innocent words in english might be offensive in Russian. Careful what you say.

Answer 3

They hate black people and brown people don't go I fear for your safety

Answer 4

Its ok. Quite safe. Dont speak loud and hold in respect to native people.We have some racists, but tell me in what country there are no racists at all??  

Answer 5

It is the same as visting any other place in the world.

Answer 6

it's the same like anywhere else in the world. Why would anybody would even ask this kind of question? Is that because of the cold war or something? i'm russian & sometimes i don't feel welcomed here in USA. Same thing when i went to Europe. But it's just about a small amount of people that base their opinion on one or two russians they've met. We all are different & nationality doesn't make you a bad person. I also've met americans & europeans that were great to me, they didn't care if i'm russian or what. You can't judge a nation by something you've heard about country. Especially during this propaganda war. By the way, war, if you call it this way,  is over & it took place on Georgian territory which is pretty far from cities you are going to. There is nothing to be scared of, it's the same like anywhere else in the world. You can meet idiots everywhere you go & they don't have to be russians....mentality is different but it should not make any body scared of a whole country! i have a friend who lives in Kaliningrad (small Russian city), he is studing there & whants to stay in Russia after completing his education. He is brown.

Answer 7

I went to Russia a couple of years ago and although found those cities spectacular, I felt very uncomfortable and I'm caucasian.  In fact, I was yelled at a couple of times in stores and was staying in a five-star hotel and was told that they wouldn't serve me coffee at a cafe there.  I was shocked.  There is a lot of crime and I was told not to bring my pocketbook out because some Italian tourists were just robbed of all of their possessions, including passports.  Even the police are corrupt and a favorite scam is to try to force tourists to hand over their passports or go to jail.  Then they extort money from them in order for the tourists to get the passports back.  I did notice a police officer watching me for awhile and it really made me nervous because what are you going to do; refuse?  Someone even stole my suitcase in the hotel.  When I was departing at the airport, I lost sight of my group and was running around frantically asking others where my flight was as the airport was was really difficult to navigate.  No one assisted me except for one person, a Canadian, and that was at a major airport.  After that, I did find my group, and a Russian woman was curt with me while she tried to cut in front of me and I was not in the mood for her  nonsense and was quite abrupt with her.  When I came back, I told others that Russia is definitely not tourist-friendly and they have a lot to learn in the customer service department.  You should really think about going someplace else.

Answer 8

Well, I’m Russian.

But I’m just back from St Petersburg, where I met my friend from Britain. We stayed in Angleterre hotel 4*. My friend was the first to arrive ( to the airport Pulkovo2 (international St Pet airport)). It was his first time in Russia. He took a taxi and arrived absolutely safely to hotel. The stuff of the hotel speaks English. They were very friendly (according to the opinion of my friend). All waiters can speak English, all taxi drivers also can speak English (only once one driver tried to make us to pay much more money than we should pay).

I saw a lot of tourists from China, Japan…not following their tourists groups, but walking alone in the streets, even late at night. A lot of nice dressed ladies from US, France… etc., businessmen from Germany with laptops, having their coffee, talking about business….

Nobody stole their suitcases or laptops or nice dresses of French ladies. Even their perfumes seem to be safety lol.

U can read a lot about hotels in Russia on tripadvisor.com…many tourists from all over the world left their comments there….some hotels r good … some r bad….like all over the world.

My British friend told me that St Petersburg is absolutely European city.

By the way… I don’t  look  like Russian – dark hair, dark eyes…more like Italian or even Georgian….nobody cares about my appearance…we used to speak English with my friend…the stuff of the hotel thought I’m foreigner too , funny….they were very friendly.

Sorry about bad experience that Mrs Traveller got in Russia… bad luck… lol…but I bet u can have your cup of coffee even in bed when u r in 5* hotel…really sorry. But yes, u have to watch your valet in NY and Rio, Tokyo and Hong Kong!!!

And To Mr Bravo-----for centuries Russians and Georgians respect each other…We have a lot of mixed couples…. U shouldn’t worry if u have Georgian last name….absolutely. Nobody hates Georgians. Georgian people and Saakashvily is not the same.

P.S. few days ago I met a girl with black skin at the mall...it's pretty unusual for our Siberian city... nobody even turned their head....nobody gazed at her...she was like other people....nobody was surprised or angry.

But there r some places in all cities all over the world where u shouldn't go(or don't go alone) Yes?