General Security Information
Terrorism/Security
There is a high threat in Russia from terrorism linked to Chechen extremists, and other groups based in the North Caucasus, with suicide attacks in public places in Moscow and hostage taking representing particular threats. There have been several attacks since 2003, including the recent attack on Nalchik, a passenger train heading to Moscow from Chechnya being derailed by an explosion, terrorists seizing a school in North Ossetia, a bomb near the Rizhskaya Metro station in northern Moscow, and two Russian airliners on internal flights destroyed by suicide bombers and a bomb at a bus stop in southern Moscow. Prior to this, attacks have targeted a metro train, a hotel, a pop concert, a bus stop, an open-air market and a Moscow theatre. Further terrorist attacks in major cities appear likely. Attacks have occurred most frequently in Moscow and in the North Caucasus.

You should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners. You should remain vigilant in all public places, including tourist sites and crowded places, particularly where access is not controlled e.g. open-air events, markets, etc.

PRACTICAL INFO

Basic Facts

Capital
Moscow

Language
The official language is Russian. There are numerous local languages.

Ethnic Groups
Russian 82 percent, Tartar four percent, Ukrainian three percent. There are over 100 other nationalities, including Bashkirs, Moldovans and Chechens.

Religion
Orthodox Christianity is the predominant religion. There are also Muslim, Protestant and Jewish minorities.

Local Laws and Customs
You should not become involved with drugs. Penalties are severe and the courts impose long sentences for those found in possession of even small quantities of drugs, regardless of whether they are "hard" or "soft".

There is a zero tolerance policy on drink driving.

Homosexuality is legal in Russia and there is a reasonably tolerant attitude to homosexuality in major urban areas. There is still, however, a degree of intolerance amongst some sections of the population, and you should however be careful about open displays of affection in public.

The photographing of any military installation, establishment or site of strategic importance is prohibited; this includes airports. You are likely to have your film confiscated, be detained for questioning and possibly arrested if you do not observe this rule.

Crime
As in most countries, cities in Russia have their fair share of petty crime. You should be alert at all times to the possibility of mugging, pickpocketing and theft from vehicles or hotel rooms. Be particularly alert to groups of women and children who beg, and pickpockets around the main railway concourses.

Take care when drinking with or meeting casual or new acquaintances in bars, restaurants or night-clubs, as there have been incidents of robbery and violence involving foreigners, amongst them British nationals. Do not leave your drinks unattended as they may then be drugged.

Incidents of armed violence in major cities are usually linked to criminal/business activities and are not usually directed against foreigners. There have also been bomb attacks linked to criminal disputes.

Racially motivated attacks by racist "skinhead" groups do occur in Russia. Experience has shown that these racial attacks increase around the anniversary of Adolf Hitler’s birthday of 20 April. Although the great majority of visitors experience no difficulties, there has recently been an increase in the number of attacks on foreigners in Russian cities. A student from Congo was killed in September 2005 in St Petersburg, and a student from Peru was murdered in the city of Voronezh in October 2005, in the course of which another Peruvian and a Spanish student were also badly hurt. If you are of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent, we advise you to take extra care.

In St Petersburg there has been a sharp increase in street crime since early April 2004, with tourists being targeted specifically. Since April 2005, the number of cases of tourists being held up at knifepoint on the metro and buses have increased. This is carried out by well-organised gangs. You should be especially aware of pickpockets in the main tourist areas. Incidents of bogus police officers harassing and robbing tourists are also occurring. If you are stopped always insist on seeing ID. Avoid openly carrying expensive items, or anything that might easily identify you as a tourist.

Useful Information

Time Zone
Time zones span from GMT +2 to GMT +12. Standard Time Zone GMT +3, Summer Time GMT +4.

Climate
Extremely varied. The central region has conditions characteristic of central and eastern Europe, although in more extreme form. Further south, the climate is more temperate and in the northern areas of Russia and in much of Siberia the climate is severe, with Arctic winters and short, hot summers. Only the northern fringe is under the polar ice-cap. The far eastern region combines the extreme temperatures of Siberia with Asiatic monsoon-type conditions, but moderated by the mountain ranges on the Pacific coast.

Telephone dialling code
(+) 7

Currency
The currency is Rouble. If you wish to purchase roubles in Russia, we advise that you take US dollars or Euros to change. All dollar or euro notes should be in good condition. You should only change money at banks, hotels and recognised exchange kiosks. It is an offence to change money from street traders. It is illegal to pay directly with dollars or Euros.

Most hotels, restaurants and larger shops accept credit cards, but smaller shops do not. ATMs exist in most major cities. Travellers cheques are not widely accepted.

As well as full insurance cover for medical treatment and accidents, we recommend that you have cover for unexpected losses such as cancelled flights, stolen cash, cards, passport or luggage.

Customs
You may import into the country up to 10,000 US dollars (or equivalent) without declaring it. You may export from the country up to 3,000 US dollars without declaring it. If you export from the country currency or travellers cheques worth between 3,000 and 10,000 US dollars, it must be declared on departure.

If you import into the country a sum of money over 10,000 US dollars or certain categories of goods such as more costly electrical items, you must complete a customs declaration form (available at all ports of entry) on arrival.

If you wish to import certain sophisticated electronic items (e.g. Global Positioning System instruments), you must get an operating licence from the Russian authorities before you travel.

If you complete a declaration form you must ensure that it is stamped by a Customs official at your port of entry or it will not be valid. If you fail to complete a declaration form on arrival or to get it validated by Customs officials your foreign currency and non-declared items may be confiscated when you leave Russia and you may be fined.

Travel

Visa Requirements
All foreign nationals entering Russia must fill in a Migration card. These cards have recently changed from bilingual (Russian/English) to Russian only cards. Information in response to the questions on the cards can still be completed in English, however this is difficult for non-Russian speakers.

The card is in two identical parts. One part will be retained by the Immigration Officer on arrival. You should keep the other part with your passport and show it, along with your passport, to the police if they stop you for an identity check during your stay. You should hand in the second part to the Immigration Officer on your departure from Russia. You must complete a new migration card each time you enter Russia, even if you have a multiple entry visa. If you lose the second part of the card you will be fined, and your departure from the country could be delayed.

Visas are required to enter Russia. During periods of high demand, for example during the summer holidays, you should apply for your visa well in advance. Visa process takes up to 15 working days, and you can submit an application by post or in person. If you want to get a visa more quickly it is possible to queue in person and pay an extra fee, though the numbers processed in this way per day are limited. You must have an exit visa to leave Russia. Most entry visas include an exit visa. Ensure that you are aware of the terms and conditions attached to your visa before travelling to Russia.

You must register your visa within three working days of arrival in Russia with the local branch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Most major hotels will do this automatically. You need not register a visa if your visit is for under three days.

If your passport has less than six months to run, you may be refused entry to Russia. You are advised to get a replacement passport before travelling.

If you intend to travel by train on popular routes such as Warsaw-Moscow or St Petersburg-Kiev you will need to obtain a transit visa for Belarus before travelling.

It is a legal requirement to carry ID at all times: either your passport or a copy of it. It is standard practice for Russian immigration services to retain copies of visiting cruise passengers passports for immigration purposes. Information from the photocopied documents is entered onto the Russian Immigration Service computer system at a later date and photocopies are destroyed after 6-12 months.

Driving (Left/Right)
Right

Road Safety
You may drive a car in Russia for a limited period if you hold an international driving license.

Road conditions can often be poor, especially outside the major cities.

You should comply with all local speed limits. The standard speed limit for built-up areas is 60 kph (37 mph), outside built-up areas 90 kph (55 mph) and 100 kph (62 mph) on motorways (Brest-Moscow). Visiting motorists who have held a driving licence for less than two years must not exceed 70 kph (43 mph).

If travelling by taxi, use officially marked taxis and do not share them with strangers.

Rail Safety
On 12 June 2005, a passenger train heading to Moscow from Chechnya was derailed by an explosion.

If you are travelling by overnight train and have the use of a sleeping compartment, store valuables in the container under the bed/seat.

Do not leave the compartment empty. Compartments have a simple lock on the sliding door. On some trains there may be an additional lock to be attached to the fitted handle/lock unit, which holds this securely locked. There may also be a steel switch at head-height on the door panel which, when pulled down, prevents the closed door from being slid open. Plug the cavity in the switch to prevent it being flipped back.

Air Safety
Two Russian airliners on internal flights crashed on 24 August 2004. Russian investigations have now confirmed that both aircraft were destroyed by suicide bombers. You should be aware that security on Russian internal flights is not as high as that for international flights. Technical safety on scheduled Russian internal and external flights is now broadly in compliance with international norms. This is not the case for some charter flights.

The EU has published a list of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban or restrictions within the community. You should check the following link to see whether this will affect your travel: http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/safety/flywell_en.htm

Local Travel
All travel to Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and to eastern and to Budyonnovsky, Levokumsky, Neftekumsky, Stepnovsky and Kurskoy, which are regions in southern Stavropol Krai that border Chechnya and Dagestan should be avoided. All but essential travel to North Ossetia, Karachai-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria (including the Elbrus area) should be limited. Terrorism and kidnapping in the region remains a serious problem and you are advised to take security advice before travelling.

On 13 October 2005, over 100 militants launched an attack on Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria. The militants mainly targeted government installations, but a number of civilian were killed during the fighting. Operations to track down remaining militants are continuing in Nalchik. Police have advised local inhabitants to exercise caution when moving around the town.

As well as the ongoing conflict in Chechnya, terrorist attacks have occurred throughout this region, including the siege of the school at Beslan, North Ossetia, on 1-3 September 2004, and a bombing on 3 February 2004 in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, which killed two people and injured 10 others. There have also been a number of armed confrontations in January 2005 between federal forces and militants, including a two-day siege in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, and a 15-hour siege in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, in January 2005. Further violence in the North Caucasus region is likely.

Kidnapping in the region is common and Westerners are particularly vulnerable: four Western hostages, including three Britons, were murdered in Chechnya in December 1998 and a Dutch aid worker was kidnapped in Dagestan in August 2002 and spent 21 months in captivity.

The North Caucasus remains an unstable and potentially dangerous region. The Russian authorities take a particularly strict attitude towards security and compliance with official regulations. If you intend to travel to the North Caucasus region it is vital that you have the correct documentation including an appropriate visa for the purpose of your visit, and that you comply fully with registration requirements.

If you travel to these parts of Russia despite this advice you are taking a serious risk.

Cross-border traffic with Georgia and Azerbaijan is subject to restrictions.

Natural Disasters

There are occasional occurrences of flooding in Russia, mainly in Siberia, and also earthquakes in the North Caucasus and in the Far Eastern region.

Health

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.

Tap water is not drinkable throughout Russia. Caution should be exercised and local advice sought. Bottled mineral water is widely available.

You should seek medical advice before travelling and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up to date.

Diseases
An outbreak of Hepatitis A has been reported in Nizhny Novgorod, with several hundred people hospitalised. Ensure you have been vaccinated against this disease if travelling to the city.

Avian Influenza
There have been reports of outbreaks of Bird Flu in a number of regions in Russia, including Tula, Tambov, Kurgan, Chelyabinsk and Novosibirsk. As a precaution, the European Union has banned imports of live birds and feathers from Russia (with the exception of Kaliningrad and some areas adjacent to the Finnish Border). No human infections or deaths have been reported.

The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low. As a precaution, you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.

Landmines

The Russian Federation and other countries making up the former Soviet Union were heavily contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) as a result of World War II. Large quantities of UXO have been removed annually since 1946. This mine/UXO contamination, together with substantial quantities of abandoned munitions in some areas, results in Russia having a considerable mine/ERW (explosive remnants of war) problem.

Russia has used mines on a regular basis since 1999, primarily in Chechnya, but also at times in Dagestan, Tajikistan, and on the border with Georgia. Russia has generally argued that its mine usage has been necessary to stop the flow of terrorists, weapons and drugs.

Chechnya
In Chechnya, both sides continued to use antipersonnel mines. Russian forces have used mines extensively in Chechnya since the renewal of armed conflict in September 1999. Federal troops have laid mines around and leading up to bases, checkpoints, commanders’ offices, government buildings, factories and power plants; on roads and mountain paths in the rebel-dominated south; in fields running from Grozny to Alkhan-Kalu; in the estuary of the River Sunzha; along various borders. Russian officials have repeatedly claimed that all minefields are mapped, marked, and removed when troops relocate.

Mines and UXO remain a major problem in Chechnya due to their continued use by both sides in the conflict.

Dagestan
There appears to have been a considerable increase in rebel mine attacks in Dagestan. According to the Minister of Interior of Dagestan, 58 terrorist acts (bombings) have been committed in Dagestan since the beginning of 2005, 40 of them committed in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan.

Explosive remnants of war, including abandoned ordnance, remain an acute problem in Dagestan, specifically in Novolaksk, Botlikh and Buynaks districts, which were scenes of combat in 1999. More than 1,500 unexploded artillery and mortar shells, an unknown number of landmines, eight 500-kilogram and ten 250-kilogram bombs are said to have been cleared. In Novolaksk district, 860 hectares of the most fertile land remains unused due to the risks posed by ERW. Local authorities claim that complete clearance of ERW in these areas will take a further five to six years.

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