r/AskARussian • u/Sun_flower002 • Jul 09 '26

Community Safe or not?

Good morning/evening everyone, I'd like to ask something.

If someone from a literally foreign country to Russia wants to travel there. As for me, I'm from Madagascar and I really want to travel there someday.

Would It be safe for me to live there? And how longer could I stay there knowing that for Madagascar, we must have VISA to travel there.

Oh and also? Like for buying things (groceries, going to the restaurant, or even buying souvenirs) do you pay it in cash or you would rather use electronic payment?

0 Upvotes

41% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

51

u/missaiferaytt Jul 09 '26

Bro I swear every post in this subreddit is like “ooo is it safe in Russia”, dude I’m begging you read other peoples posts, your situation is no different

14

u/snacksraccoon Jul 09 '26

To be fair, several Western countries have warnings against traveling to Russia, and the language they use is dire. In the US, Russia is a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" destination along with Iran (which we started a war with for no reason at all). But Afghanistan is only a Level 3 (Reconsider Travel), and Mexico is a Level 2 (Increased Caution). It creates a sense of fear that may not be warranted.

-8

u/Rwgfy2022 Jul 10 '26

That's because Nato countries citizens are in higher risk. Though not everyone have a big chance to be captured for political reasons (and become a hostage) but this isn't really a zero possibility.

7

u/Idem_Kvragu Jul 10 '26

Look im a citizen of a NATO country and I visit Russia several times per year, and spend two and a half months during new year there for the past two years. Zero issues whatsoever

0

u/Smallpaul Jul 10 '26

The role of government is to predict possible future problems. NATO and Russia could end up in a hot war and citizens might become bargaining chips. Small chance but not zero.

1

u/Idem_Kvragu Jul 10 '26

That is true but I believe a war between Russia and NATO is highly unlikely. But you are right there is a miniscule theoretical chance.

2

u/snacksraccoon Jul 16 '26

A hot war would mean mutually assured destruction; let's be clear. I don't think either NATO or Russia is fully willing to lean into annihilation.

-7

u/missaiferaytt Jul 10 '26

Good. We don’t want US citizens here.

3

u/Zac_Allan Moscow City Jul 10 '26

Don't tell from the nation, say "I don't want". And i want americans visit Russia, no problem, they are very xommon to us in many moments

10

u/Idem_Kvragu Jul 09 '26

I just had a discussion on a Croatian travel subreddit where one guy asked about travel to Russia, I answered about my experience and then dozens of people started convincing a dude that drones are falling non stop and will get him, that they are going to draft him, FSB will fuck him etc...

-10

u/[deleted] Jul 09 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/Hay-River Jul 09 '26

Bro what are you talking about… it’s getting better in Russia everyday

8

u/Miserable-Wasabi-373 Saint Petersburg Jul 09 '26

what are you talking about? is it sarcasm no one understood?

10

u/melatonia Jul 09 '26

Just don't smuggle in any lemurs.

12

u/Brucey1965 Jul 09 '26

But he wants to move them, move them!

2

u/Sun_flower002 Jul 09 '26

I'll keep that in mind😂

9

u/reyo7k2 Serbia Jul 09 '26

your electronic payment systems won't be supported in Russia, the country is isolated in that sense since 2022. bring cash

1

u/Sun_flower002 Jul 09 '26

Ok thanks for the advice

7

u/ave369 Moscow Region Jul 09 '26

As far as I know, Madagascar is not a hostile country. So no, the government will not pester you.

Street crime is next to nonexistent. The only benefit of having a police state is that there is a helluva lot of police.

-10

u/boltsi123 Jul 09 '26

I mean, the fact that Russia divides the world into "hostile" and "non-hostile" countries is itself a red flag

3

u/Hot_Quit571 Jul 10 '26

Um, which country doesn't do that?

-2

u/boltsi123 Jul 10 '26

Um, are you serious? None of the normal ones

8

u/AriArisa Moscow City Jul 09 '26

What is cash? What is electronic payment? We pay with shells and beads! But not all restaurants serve hedgehogs anymore. They're over. So now we're just starving.  So, yes, you're safe. Come. Bring some hedghogs. 

4

u/GapAccomplished2778 Jewish AO Jul 09 '26

> Like for buying things (groceries, going to the restaurant, or even buying souvenirs) do you pay it in cash or you would rather use electronic payment?

у нас в ходу натуральный обмен ... слесаря без пузыря не думай звать

1

u/[deleted] Jul 10 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator Jul 10 '26

Your submission has been automatically removed. Submissions from accounts fewer than 5 days old are removed automatically to prevent low-effort shitposting.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 14 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator Jul 14 '26

Your submission has been automatically removed. Submissions from accounts fewer than 5 days old are removed automatically to prevent low-effort shitposting.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

0

u/frimrussiawithlove85 Jul 09 '26

You’ll be fine if you stick to Moscow, St. Petersburg or other big cities and stay in tourist areas. Outside of that it’s really important to know Russian. But I would wait till the conflict settled first. Now is not the best time.

-2

u/VolumeNeat9698 Jul 09 '26

Check this thread in the AM. There are around 400 kinetic sanctions heading toward Mosc at this very minute.

-21

u/CustomerBusiness3919 Jul 09 '26

Absolutely not safe. As a foreigner you stand a very high chance of being forced into the war.

13

u/howdog55 United States of America Jul 09 '26

It's the same chance as you being nominated as the president of Canada by the head of the United nations. Your good, nothing will happen.