Facts and Trivia

Beer wasn't considered an alcoholic drink in Russia until

2011.

In 2011, then-President Dmitry Medvedev officially signed into law

that beer was in fact an alcoholic beverage.

This law finally put limitations on where beer could be sold.

Until now anything containing less than 10% alcohol in Russia has been considered a foodstuff.

There is no word for "fun" in Russian.

There is the word "веселье," which translates to "joy" or "merriment,"
and there's also the verb form "веселиться." One huge difference
between the words "веселье" and "fun" is that you can have fun at
work, but you can't "веселиться" at work.
Or "privacy."
The closest thing is "конфиденциальность," but that means
confidentiality. And there's "уединение," which translates to "staying
alone."
Russians sit quietly for a few seconds before traveling.
Before heading out on a journey, they say "Присядем на дорожку,"
which means "let's sit down for the road."

Back in the day, people would sit in silence for a few seconds and then
say a quick prayer for the journey ahead.

One odd Russian superstition is to avoid whistling indoors.

"If you whistle in the house, then all the money will fly out of
the window."

Legend has it that Russians chose Christianity over

Islam back in 988 AD in part because they didn't want to
give up alcohol.
Prince Vladimir the Great ruled over Kievan Rus' (aka medieval
Russia) from 980 to 1015. Kievan Rus' was originally Pagan, but
Vladimir converted to Christianity and then converted all of Kievan
Rus' in 988.

"Islam, it is said, was rejected because of its teachings prohibiting the

use of alcohol. Prince Vladimir is reported to have said that 'the joy of
Rus is in drinking.'"