Russia SKETCH SCORE: 39/100Russia moved +12 this weekRussia’s safety score jumped to 39 today from 27, but the US, UK, and Canada all maintain level 4 do-not-travel advisories alongside a global measles alert.Russia SKETCH SCORE: 39/100Russia moved +12 this weekRussia’s safety score jumped to 39 today from 27, but the US, UK, and Canada all maintain level 4 do-not-travel advisories alongside a global measles alert.
Russia

Nope.

Russia’s safety score jumped to 39 today from 27, but the US, UK, and Canada all maintain level 4 do-not-travel advisories alongside a global measles alert.

Verified Jul 12, 2026Confidence high▲ +12 this week
39Sketch Score
90-day trend

Governments, one trip

What they're telling their own citizens about Russia

The real score

The breakdown

0advisoryConsensus
39Political Stability
27Police Trust
76Health
86Crime
90LGBTQ+

See it from your perspective

39

Nope.

The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.

Don't fall for it

Scams to know

Bogus trolley inspectors

Individuals pose as inspectors checking for trolley tickets to extort bribes from passengers.

Unmarked taxi robbery

Passengers using unmarked taxis face risks of robbery, kidnapping, extortion, and theft. Use only authorized services, especially at major airports.

Don't do this

Laws that jail tourists

Police corruption

Some underpaid policemen remain corrupt and may target lone travelers at night for extortion.

Staying healthy

What to watch out for, health-wise

Active notices

  • • Global Measles

Vaccines

Recommended:

From people who've been there

Local know-how

Staying safe

  • Crime: For the most part, Russia is a moderately safe country to visit.
  • The crime rate has fallen dramatically since hitting an all-time high in the 1990s.
  • The infamous Russian mafia (ма́фия), also known as the Bratva (братва́), are still active, but they rarely engage in street crime, and it takes quite some effort to get involved with them as a tourist.
  • Foreigners who have been drinking alcohol are especially vulnerable to assault and robbery in or around nightclubs or bars, or on their way home.
  • The use of unmarked taxis is also a problem, as passengers have been victims of robbery, kidnapping, extortion, and theft.
  • Russia's law enforcement are generally well-trained and professional in their jobs.

Staying healthy

  • Medical facilities in general vary.
  • Ensure that all of your vaccinations are up to date, and you have sufficient amounts of any prescription medicine you may be taking.
  • Quality of tap water varies around the country, and may even be variable within cities.
  • Besides local doctors (generally good quality but often working in poor facilities) there are several Western-styled medical centres in major Russian cities.
  • Be careful not to buy fake vodka, which can be dangerous (seriously here, 'dangerous' doesn't mean 'strong'; it can contain methanol).
  • Significant number of food stores, including some food/goods chains, standalone food shops, kiosks and food markets are famous for selling food of bad quality, including out-of-date or even out-of-date with expire date reprinted with a later date.

Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.

Pack this, know this

The little things that trip people up

🔌

Plug & voltage

C / F · 230V

🚗

Driving side

right

🚨

Emergency

police: 102 or 112 / ambulance: 103 or 112 / fire: 101 or 112

Zoom in

5 Russia cities on SKETCH.WORLD

Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.

Show the receipts (11 sources)
Printable pre-trip checklist for Russia →