Practical guides
Visas, flights, trains, bank cards, SIM and relocation — the paperwork side, with current numbers.
Visiting Russia
Entry paperwork, routes, paying for things, staying connected, and what a first week in Moscow actually looks like. Every page says when it was last checked.
ExploreLiving in Russia
The paperwork of staying, what a month actually costs, studying and working, and people already doing it on camera. Numbers carry the date they were checked.
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Sub-sections
Russian government scholarship 2027/28: quota application roadmap
What the quota covers, application documents, country contacts and arrival steps. New-cycle deadlines are not confirmed; previous-cycle dates are clearly separated.
Money for students in Russia: banks, transfers and daily payments
A practical student guide with official sources: opening an account, receiving money from parents, cash at the border and what remains unconfirmed.
The Moscow Metro: A Practical Guide and a Walk Through Its Underground Palaces
Tickets, Troika, navigation and etiquette — plus the history, ten remarkable stations and a self-guided underground architecture tour.
Universities, science and careers for foreign students in Russia
English-taught degrees, state quota places and the Open Doors olympiad, research at Skoltech and Akademgorodok, and what the law says about working while you study.
What $1,000 a month actually buys you in Russia
Rent, utilities, internet, transport and groceries in roubles and dollars — and the cities where a thousand dollars runs out.
Life without Apple Pay: what daily tech in Russia actually feels like
Mir cards, transfers by phone number, QR codes at the till and Face Pay in the metro — plus the parts that are genuinely worse.
What works in Russia right now: the 2026 reality index
Cards, cash, SIM, VPN, e-visa and registration in one dated table, each line linked to its guide.
How to actually pay for things in Russia in 2026
How foreigners pay in Russia in 2026: why Visa and Mastercard fail, how much cash to bring, UnionPay coverage, opening a MIR card, SBP transfers and moving money in and out.
SIM cards, internet and apps in Russia in 2026
Staying connected in Russia in 2026: buying a SIM as a foreigner, tourist eSIMs, what needs a VPN, whether WhatsApp and Telegram work, and using Yandex Go without a Russian card.
Russian Visa Guide 2026: E-visa, Tourist, Work, HQS and Residence
Every Russian visa in 2026 explained: e-visa, tourist, private, business, work, HQS, study, 'shared values' visa, RVP, VNZh, citizenship. Real costs, real ti…
Living in Russia in 2026: The Complete Honest Guide
Visas, money, rent, internet, VPN, healthcare, language: a no-bullshit 2026 guide to actually living in Russia, written by a Russian who comes and goes betwe…
Cost of Living in Russia 2026: Real Numbers from Moscow to the Regions
Real 2026 prices: rent, groceries, restaurants, metro, taxi, utilities, gym and three full monthly budgets — Moscow, St. Petersburg, and a typical region.
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Three good entry points into the rest of the site.
Language
The alphabet, first phrases and free tools — enough Russian to read a sign and order coffee.
ExploreRussia now
Everything we write about what is happening in Russia — long reads, opinion, weekly issues and fact checks. Pick a topic below.
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Everything made by Vlad Lario himself — his own texts, weekly issues and videos, in one place.
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