What comes to your mind when you think about Russia?

Honestly on reading the topic I thought it is his On Russia, nothing I can relate.

Regarding the football championship, I will follow it on TV with my family. I haven't been in Russia, yet. But, I hope to go once at least on holidays. My father and my grandparents spoke Russian and I really would like to travel once in the Trans-Siberian. Did you travel to other countries?

Yulia Savicheva, Tarakany!,Zveri,Tatu and other Russian Singers and bands. I am a huge fan of Zveri and Tarakany. Until Now I sing dozhdi Pistolety and Ya smotru Na nih in the shower.

I know Russian is our Big Brother,and i adore the President Putin,he don't give a wink to America.He is the only one dare fight against America.And i heard there are many beautiful girls and bold men,they love to drink vodka. I thought the greatest Russian is Gorbachev.He gave the politic power and democracy back to his people and avoided the World War.He didn't want to be Modern Emperor of Socialist Country.If there is no Gorbachev,Russian is still a despotic and dark country.the people have no right to get the democracy or freedom. but after all,i think Russia is the second supercountry in this world.if America declined,Russia is the only country can substitute for America. I wish China will become next Russia one day,and we will have our own glory to stand on the world like hero,not a threat.

I studied English and Russian at uni and taught both languages at secondary grammar schools in Germany for 20 years as a third foreign language after English and Latin. I visited Moscow and (then) Leningrad three times. First as a student, then with pupils who had chosen Russian. When the Soviet Union ended, the interest in learning Russian dwindled to zero in many schools. Our headmaster decided to introduce Italian because our school and also our town have twin partners in Italy. So I started teaching Italian which I had learnt because of an Italian husband. We had several Russian language assistants (students of German who had come to assist the teachers of Russian) staying in our house where we could give them a room. They were all very good at talking German - a great contrast to language assistants from England, France and Italy. I conclude that the level of language teaching in Russia is rather high. Or only the best are sent abroad!

you are not the only one person from Russia here

I instantly get Raj Kapoor the legendary actor of Indian Movies into my mind who used to have lot of love for Russia and he was immensely liked by Russians at that time! Thanks @MashaVickina! Dasvidania!

In 2016 I wanted to visit Russia however it demands a very expensive tourist visa. To be able to go visa free we flew from England to Sweden and then a ferry over to Finland. St Peter Ferry Line arranged our visa free trip to St Petersburg in Russia. We booked a hotel on a different website. On arrival in Russia a minibus took us the drop off point. We walked up to our hotel following a canal. We found our hotel close the site of the Church of Stained Blood. We walked around seeing the lovely city. We took a day out to Peter Hof Palace Gardens. These looked beautiful with golden statues. We talked to a German man that had visited Moscow and he loved it. However we can't go visa free to there. I dream of visiting Sochi visa free and might be able to do that going on a ferry from Turkey. It is not a trip I could book in advance.

Well, vodka. It is not unique to Russia, but that's what comes first in mind. I also think of a very wide area, with many cultures and ethnicities. Siberia is Russian, after all. I love the accent and the national anthem; the music, classical and traditional, pretty cool too. Oh, it's also the land of Rasputin, cool dude. I don't have friends from Russia, never been abroad at all, and Italy didn't qualify.

I've known Russia from the early days through the game Red Alert and then it was a communist state. Later I've found that it was once a Kingdom overthrown by it's own people. I guess it's another Caucasian civilization in the east.

No I do not friends in Russia but I would like to have one. I think Russia is a beautiful, cold, and strong country. I would love to visit it one day

Hello, Masha! Glad to hear from you! I am Bulgarian. Bulgarian and Russia have been together for ages. I speak Russian. I know well Russian history, literature, culture and art. You cluld read here my discussion "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia". My family history is pro Russian. When Hitler invaded the Soviet Union during the Second World War my grandmother cried. Her father and my greatgrandfather was a passionate Russian supporter. Also we Bulgarian know well that Russia liberated us from the Turkish slavery in the Russian-Turkish war in 1878. So Russia is a great subject and great topic to me.

I am interested with President Putin. Interesting and intriguing guy.

When I was a kid I wanted to be a ballerina. I read every ballet book in the local library - and most of them were set in Russia. So even today when I think of Russia, I think of ballet. It's a country I would really love to see. I would particularly like to do the Trans Siberian Railway journey.

Well hell, I am mum, how about this love the people, but hate your leader is our leader. Was that political. I have met your military brethren in 1998 and we all traded things. I got a Russian duffle and think I gave them a CD that was not sold there, Some American thing, Bon Jovi or something.

Faberge eggs.

@MashaVickina I have family from there and also yes I have someone that is very nice. No, I have not been there.

Great people yea

In history lessons we learnt mostly about wars Russia had :I I wish though to become more familiar with the good simple people out there. to know their thoughts/interests etc.

Ballerina...The tall gracefully standing ladies!..That crosses my mind as soon as I think of Russia.