Soccer, hockey, and track and field are very popular in Russia, as well as volleyball, skiing, and skating. Chess is also very popular both competitively and just for fun. Generally, family is very important in Russia.
"Reading" and "Traveling" are the top 2 answers among Russian consumers in our survey on the subject of "Most popular hobbies & activities". The survey was conducted online among 12,199 respondents in Russia, in 2022.
Opera, ballet, and classical concerts are much more widely attended in Russia than in the U.S. Locals are proud of their theater and musical culture. Theater can also be very entertaining, but it is best to ask local acquaintances about which plays are worth seeing.
Among the list of sports commonly played in Russia are basketball, ice hockey, football, rugby league, handball, weightlifting, gymnastics, figure skating, biathlon, boxing, wrestling, martial arts, volleyball, rugby union, and skiing.
What Is Russia Famous For? Russia is known for its Vodka production, cold climate, and Matryoshka Doll. The country also has a rich historical past consisting of The Russian Empire and The Soviet Union.
Russian culture is shaped by an authoritarian way of thinking, so the relationship between generations is also shaped by respect and appreciation. Russian parents are mostly very protective of their kids. They usually make important decisions regarding their children themselves without discussion.
Show Some Affection
Traditionally, Russians would kiss three times on the cheek when meeting. Now, one kiss is more common, but a hug will also be expected. This might not be such a strange act for women, but men from other countries sometimes find it odd. Don't fret.
Always show heightened respect to those who are older than you. It's common to adopt a more formal demeanour. Offer your seat to an elderly person, pregnant woman or woman with a small child if they do not have one. Men are expected to open doors for women, pay for their food, help them carry items, etc.
When you first meet someone in Russia, you will usually shake hands with them and have good eye contact. During a first date, however, a man will usually wait for a woman to offer her hand first. Personal space is not highly valued in Russia, however.
vk.com ranked number 1 and is the most visited Social Media Networks website in Russia in April 2023, followed by ok.ru as the runner up, and pinterest.com ranking at 3rd place as the leaders of the Social Media Networks websites in Russia.
Ethnic Identities and National Unity
Though most people are Slavic, many others have Turkic and Mongol heritage. Tatars, Ukrainians, Bashkirs, Chuvash and Chechens are some of the biggest ethnic minorities. Many people from minority groups continue to hold their ethnic identity and cultural traditions close.
Russians do smile at people they know. Shop assistants smile at the clients they already know, not necessarily at others. If you smile at a stranger in Russia, he/she can smile back, but it can already mean an invitation to come and talk. Russians take smiling as a sign that the person cares about them.
Expressions: Russians, particularly men, often have a serious front towards strangers that softens once they build familiarity with a person. While they are known to be very animated with friends, smiles are not often exchanged between strangers on the street.
The service sector accounts for over half of all jobs in Russia, with retail, tourism, health, and education among the most important service segments. Mining, manufacturing, and construction are the biggest industrial sectors.
Russians are very straightforward. When they meet or phone each other, they seldom spend time on questions like "How are you?" but go straight to the point. They are not rude, it's just their way of doing things. Russians are used to situations where everything is unpredictable and unstable.
Religion in Russia is diverse, with Christianity, especially Russian Orthodoxy, being the most widely professed faith, but with significant minorities of non-religious people and adherents of other faiths.
There's a well-known Russian greeting tradition: the triple cheek-kiss. It's usually common between close relatives. Sometimes, it's shortened to two kisses. One cheek kiss is often used by girls to greet friends, or even close female coworkers.
Some Russians may choose to live together as an unmarried couple for a while, but generally legal marriage is preferred. Divorce is very common in Russia.
Russian families are large and friendly and are not limited to the husband, wife, and children. A family includes grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, nephews, and nieces. They all closely communicate with each other and get together for birthdays and anniversaries.
Russia and the former Soviet Union has incredible mountains, beaches, deserts, ethnic villages, spectacular volcanoes and glaciers, making it one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
People commonly use diminutives as nicknames to address one another. For example, Lena may become Lenochka or Anya is turned into Anyuta. Male nicknames often shorten the original name. For example, Mikhail becomes Mish or Misha.