How safe is Moscow for Americans?

[Pavel Samsonov]

> In my view, these passages do not reflect the current situation in Moscow
> and Petersburg; hesitate to say much about other cities. Yes, there are
some
> dangers, the kind that exist in any major city -- e.g. NYC, Milan -- but
the
> street crime situation is far better than it was in the early 1990s. You
do
> need to be street-smart, of course, but that's a requirement for urban
> living anywhere.
> Henryk Baran

I visited Moscow in 1995 and 1999 each time for a week or so. Both times it
was safe enough (at least for me).
Avoiding Gipsies will be a good suggestion. Do not make eye contacts with
them, ignore them comletely. Do not ride commuter trains ("electrichka"):
they can be somewhat dangerous.
Do not visit night clubs and other suspicious places. Get back home before
sunset. Observe traffic regulations: traffic is crazy in Moscow with many
drunk drivers.

I have never heard of organized crime that would particularly target
foreigners. According to some data, now there over 40,000 foreigners living
in Moscow (registered officially). No massive exodus because of a high crime
rate has been observed.

On the other hand, there is never a guarantee. But the crime rate in Moscow
now is no higher than that in, say, in Mexico-City where US visitors can be
assaulted sometimes.
Good luck!

With compliments,

Pavel (Paul) Samsonov
EDAD, College of Education,
Texas A&M University
tel. (409) 862-7771 (lab)
      (409) 862-9152 (home)
fax (409) 862-4347
e-mail p0s5658 at acs.tamu.edu

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