Russia

Is Russia safe to visit?

For Western visitors, no. Moscow and St Petersburg look normal, and ordinary crime is not the main problem. The risks are political and military: the US says the risk of wrongful detention of its citizens remains high, drones and air defence fire close airports with little warning, and terrorists are, in the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary's words, very likely to try to carry out attacks. The 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary ranks Russia last of 163 countries.

The US State Department rates Russia Level 4 (do not travel for any reason) and tells US citizens already there to leave immediately. The UK FCDO advises against all travel. We score Russia 43, and as with Ukraine, the advisories matter more than the number.

Detention, exit bans and the law

This is the risk that sets Russia apart. The US advisoryUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary says Russian security services have arrested US citizens on false charges, convicted them without credible evidence and used them as bargaining chips, and that some serve their full sentences. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says Russia has a track record of holding foreign nationals as leverage over other countries.

What can get a foreigner into trouble, according to the two governments:

• Posts on social media supporting Ukraine, including ones made before the trip; the US says people have been arrested over data on their devices, even data created abroad.
• Donations to organisations linked to Ukraine.
• Displaying LGBT+ symbols such as the rainbow flag, since a Supreme Court ruling that took effect in January 2024 labelled the "international LGBT movement" extremist.
• Taking part in protests, even alone (one person can count as a protest), or publishing images of drone or military attacks.
• Religious activity the authorities treat as suspect.

Russia revised its criminal code on 28 December 2024 to widen liability for foreigners believed to act against Russian interests. Consular help is thin: all US consulates in Russia have suspended operations, and Russia does not always tell embassies when it detains someone.

Dual nationals face the highest risk. Russia treats them only as Russian citizens, refuses consular visits, and the US says it has forced dual citizens to join the military and stopped them from leaving. Men with Russian citizenship who receive a draft notice on the electronic register cannot leave the country.

Drones, the war and terrorism

Drone attacks and explosions have hit areas near the Ukrainian border and cities including Moscow, Kazan and St Petersburg. In its latest update on 18 September 2026, the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary added that drone attacks and Russian air defence lead to short-notice restrictions on airspace and airports. Martial law has applied since October 2022 in Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Rostov and Krasnodar, and authorities there can set curfews, restrict movement and detain foreigners. Russian authorities said at least 113 people were killed in Russia in August 2026 alone, a figure the UN mission in Ukraine could not independently verify.

Terrorism is a long-standing threat. The FCDO counts 145 people killed in the March 2024 attack on Crocus City Hall near Moscow, claimed by ISIS-Khorasan, and at least 20 killed in attacks on synagogues, churches and police in Dagestan in June 2024. The North Caucasus carries the highest risk.

Crime, roads and money

Ordinary crime is moderate. Russia's homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary was 6.8 per 100,000 in 2021 (the latest UNODC figure in the World Bank series), higher than in Western Europe but lower than in much of Latin America. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns of pickpockets around tourist sites and main railway stations, drink spiking followed by robbery, and fake police who stop and rob tourists. Ask any officer for identification. Methanol in bootleg alcohol has killed people; buy drinks from reputable outlets.

WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 12.0 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2019. The FCDO calls road safety poor and warns of fuel shortages and quotas in 2026.

Money is a practical safety issue. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards do not work, so you will be carrying all your cash, and flights out route through Turkey, the Gulf, Serbia, the Caucasus or Central Asia. A cancelled flight can leave you short of funds with no easy way to get more.

If you go anyway

• Read the US and FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary advice the week you travel and tell someone at home your itinerary.
• Travel with a clean phone and laptop; assume communications are monitored.
• Carry your passport at all times, and avoid any gathering that looks political.
• Bring more cash than you think you need and keep a reserve for rebooked flights.
• Do not photograph military sites, security forces or the scene of a drone strike.
• Call 112 in an emergency.

Land routes through Finland are closed; the FCDO lists the Finnish border as shut.

How we scored it

Conflict and unrest (8) is the weakest factor and covers the do-not-travel advisoriesUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary, drone attacks, terrorism and the risk of detention. Violent crime (65), road safety (64) and petty crime (62) are mid-range and would put the weighted average at 54. The overall score is capped at 43 (conflict + 35): when conflict is this severe, good roads, health care or low crime cannot lift a country above that. For most travellers the advisories, not the score, should decide.