Russia is a country known for majestic cathedrals, vodka and bears that move freely along the streets. Or do you think otherwise? In fact, it is the largest country in the world, occupying nine time zones and more than 17 million km² of area, which is very good for a multinational state. Russia went through various phases of formation in order to become today's self-sufficient democratic country. She has always been one of those countries that remain mysterious and surprising to most foreigners. If you study its long historical alien, you will see that this is a land of secrets and political turmoil. Russia is haunted by the stereotype of funny people drinking vodka, playing the balalaika and dancing with bears. On the other hand, foreigners pay attention to the gloomy unfriendly faces of Russians who do not even smile when talking. What else is shocking for foreigners in Russia?
TheBiggest has prepared for you 10 facts about Russia that remain incomprehensible and even shocking for foreigners.
1
Cities closed from foreigners
Many people know that Russia was closed during the existence of the Soviet Union, but you may be shocked to learn that even today, cities closed to tourists are scattered throughout the Russian Federation. Citizens continue their daily lives there, but if they want to be visited by friends or relatives, they need special permission. Foreign visitors are absolutely forbidden to be in the secret cities of Russia.
Today's closed cities are mainly associated with military and nuclear research centers. For example, ZATO Vilyuchinsk, which is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East of the country, is the base for the construction of nuclear submarines.
Zheleznogorsk, located in Siberia, is the Russian center for the production of plutonium.
Finally, there is Sarov, the main center for nuclear research in Russia. This closed city is best known for having the most powerful nuclear weapon ever created - the thermonuclear aerial bomb king (aka Kuzkin’s mother). On our site Thebiggest.ru you can find a list of the most powerful bombs in the world.
In addition to these well-known closed cities, there are still many completely secret from the public settlements that are not even indicated on the maps. Of course, foreigners rarely look for these cities, but nevertheless, the presence of such secret territories causes interest and surprise among our foreign friends.
2
Low life expectancy of Russians
Studies show that 25% of Russian men die before age 55. Perhaps the government should pay more attention to the health of citizens? With such shocking statistics, the average Russian will live to be 66 years old, putting Russia at 103rd place in the ranking for life expectancy (for 2020).
Addiction to strong alcohol affects the longevity of men and women. The average adult in Russia consumes 20 liters of vodka per year. Although alcohol mortality has declined since the 1990s, alcohol is still the third leading cause of death (which thebiggest believes) can be avoided.
However, heavy drinking is not the only reason for low life expectancy. In Russia, mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases and stroke are very high. To be precise, this is 65% of the causes of death. According to many experts, this is due to serious environmental problems and the intensive use of cigarettes, hookahs, vapes.
Do not forget about negligence and neglect of safety rules at the workplace. Russia is one of the leading countries for industrial injuries.
3
Pancakes with caviar and sour cream
Americans are used to their warm, airy pancakes with sweet fruit syrups. They will be clearly surprised to receive Russian pancakes in a cafe. Traditionally, pancakes are served rolled up in a “triangle” with sour cream and salted caviar. Russian pancakes are quite thin compared to American or European.
It is believed that pancakes were invented quite by accident when one of the travelers burned oatmeal. After that, the chefs began to experiment with the composition of the pancake dough.
Over time, pancakes have become a popular dish in almost every Russian cuisine. They are served when the baby is born, on Easter, on Shrovetide, during the funeral, and so on. And every time pancakes symbolize something. Housewives love this dish for the simplicity of preparation and universal compatibility - with sour cream, with jam, with butter.
Traditional pancakes with caviar and sour cream appeared on the tables of Russian people only in the 19th century.
4
No whistle indoors
Most foreigners have no idea how superstitious Russians can be. Among the most popular beliefs, we note the following: you can’t shake hands at the door, sit “on the corner” (or you’ll be unmarried forever), congratulate you on your birthday in advance, give the person an even number of flowers. In dealing with Russians it is better to adhere to these rather simple rules in order to avoid condemnation.
The ban on whistling indoors is especially shocking to foreign guests. Russians sincerely believe that people who violate this rule will have problems in the financial sphere in the near future. Therefore, foreigners are advised to refrain from the innocent whistling of their favorite melody.
5
Third largest concentration of billionaires in the world
Moscow has always been considered one of the richest capitals in the world. The capital of our country has long been a leader in the number of dollar billionaires - a record number of 84 rich! A little later, many of them emigrated abroad in search of developing their business and increasing wealth. Now our capital is only slightly behind New York and Hong Kong.
In 2019 alone, the state of our billionaires amounted to more than 421 billion dollars. Statisticians estimate that a staggering 89% of Russia's monetary wealth is controlled by 10% of the population.
6
There are more women than men
The number of Russian women exceeds the number of men by 11 million! Such statistics have been maintained for more than a century. It is believed that during the Second World War the number of men was significantly reduced for obvious reasons - the war claimed the lives of more than 25 million soldiers. In our time, this trend has intensified due to the high abuse of alcohol and cigarettes throughout the countries of the former USSR. The low life expectancy due to drug addiction and alcohol abuse has strengthened the low number of men in the country.
The sex ratio in Russia is currently 86.8 men per 100 women. This has greatly influenced a traditional society where women marry young women and quickly give birth to children. Now Russians are forced to look for spouses outside of Russia to compensate for the lack of men. Our women most often marry Europeans (Germans, Swedes) or Caucasians (Armenians, Azerbaijanis). Also often marry with Kazakhs, Americans, Uzbeks, Poles.
7
Negative attitudes towards members of sexual minorities
At all times, on the territory of our country, the LGBT community has been harassed: their culture and ways of self-expression. The Russian government has banned gay pride parades, claiming that same-sex relationships are not socially acceptable and even designated them as illegal. This law has sparked outrage in the LGBT community around the world (especially in tolerant Europe).
Few people know that in our country, gays are harassed, sent to psychiatric hospitals, or even put in jail. Many representatives of the LGBT community say that they were tortured, beaten and forced to say the names of other “abnormal” people during interrogations.
However, these monstrous acts of law enforcement officials did not go unnoticed. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe called the persecution of gays a serious violation of human rights, and is also taking steps to prevent further unlawful acts against sex minorities.
We advise you to see: The loudest cuming outs of stars.
8
Bears - "addicts"
These news frames circled and shocked the whole world. Apparently, in the Kronotsky Reserve more than 700 bears in their hands, or rather, kerosene cylinders fell into their paws. Creatures literally “consume” the discarded fuel. They sniff it and drink it, then they roll it on the grass in a "state of intoxication."
Fuel tanks that have fallen into the bears are the result of a negligent attitude to the disposal of hazardous substances left over from generators and helicopters. The reserve itself is home to more than 700 brown bears, which are considered the largest in the world (their weight can reach more than 500 kilograms). The reserve covers an area of more than 225,000 hectares of land and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An investigation was carried out on this incident by the investigating authorities and environmentalists. Bears were examined by veterinarians. Now nothing threatens their lives.
9
Over 1 million HIV-infected
For a developed country, Russia has an alarmingly large number of people living with HIV and AIDS. Recently, their number has reached 1.2 million people. Surprisingly, every year in Russia the level of infection increases by 10-15%. This means that more than 250 people get this disease daily.
Studies have shown that this number is associated with high injecting drug use in the country. This is approximately 1.8 million people, or 2.3% of the population. Other infected received the virus from sexual partners. About 49% of new infections occur in heterosexual partners.
According to rough estimates, about 500 thousand Russians live with HIV and do not even know about it. The most common reason they fail to test is public opinion. Unfortunately, having a positive HIV status is considered shameful and condemned by others. That is why this type of research is not so common and popular. The Russian government has recognized the importance of preventing this infection and is taking measures to expand sex education and promote a healthy lifestyle.
10
Dogs can navigate the subway
Moscow has long shocked foreigners with sled dogs in the subway. Yes, they actually know how to navigate the subway without the help of a person. These animals have long understood where to go in order to find food. According to some sources, over 35 thousand stray dogs live in the city, but only some of the smartest animals mastered this mode of transport in attempts to survive. As a rule, animals go to large bazaars or shopping areas, where there is a high probability that they will be fed.
About two dozen of these intelligent dogs travel by metro every day, using their excellent sense of smell to orient themselves in space. Also, by the smell and sound signals (announcement of stops), animals have learned to recognize stations and go only to the right ones.
TheBiggest editors are asking you to write in the comments about other habits or traditions of the Russians, which can shock many guests of our country. What else is shocking for foreigners in Russia?
Article author: Olesya Shcherbakova