Safety in Russia

Despite the seedy reputation the Russian mafia might have given the country, Russia is relatively safe. As long as you stay away from the mafia and use common sense you should be fine. Neo-Naziism/Neo-Fascism is on the rise, however, so always take precautions when there are flare-ups in this regard as foreigners are easy targets. Pickpocketing is an issue, particularly if you are in touristy or very crowded areas like markets, so be aware of this and never carry your wallet or any other valuables in accessible places. There are a number of corrupt policemen in Russia who might view foreigners as easy targets for bribery, so to be safe don’t speak English or any other language while walking past policemen and walk past purposefully.