gino yachting

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Slovenščina
• Science & Tech
• Russian Kitchen

Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

to our newsletter!

Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox

• What to do in Moscow City, if you’re not mega-rich
• Moscow after dusk: 10 places to drink, dance, and groove
• 5 things you must do in Moscow in 2018 between football matches (or without them)
• Sandwiched between Moscow and St. Petersburg: How to spend a perfect weekend in Tver 
• 24 or 48 hours in Moscow: Where to go and what to do in 2019

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more.

• Hispanoamérica
• Work at ArchDaily
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Architecture News

Moscow’s New Supertall Skyscraper Approved for Construction

• Written by Eric Baldwin
• Published on August 29, 2018

Moscow officials have approved a new supertall building that will become the city's tallest skyscraper . Rising 404 meters (1,325 feet) in height as part of the Moscow City commercial district, the tower is designed by Sergey Skuratov Architects. The unnamed structure will be a multifunctional residential complex with 109 floors. The new skyscraper will break Moscow's current tall building record set by Federation Tower at 373-meter-tall (1,226 feet) tall. Construction is scheduled to begin next year.

The new skyscraper joins a host of other superlative buildings in Moscow City, including five of the ten tallest buildings in Europe, all supertall structures.The district's Federation Tower currently holds the title of Europe's tallest completed skyscraper. Soon, it will be surpassed by St. Petersburg's Lakhta Center , which will rise 462 meters when complete in 2019. When complete, Skuratov's skyscraper in Moscow will become Europe's second tallest building.

Designed with two main volumes, the new supertall design includes a 12 story base structure with offices, a shopping center and a range of commercial facilities. Above, residences will rise to the 104th floor. Capped with a helipad, the project includes an observation at 399 meters (1,309 feet) above ground. The project's facade will feature a gradient of white glass between windows that disappears by the 80th floor. As Skuratov explains, "The plan of the building is an isosceles (trapezoid) 30 meters wide, truncated on one side, facing the Moskva River. The sloping edge on the west side of the tower follows the direction of one of the nearby streets. The other edge is vertical and points toward the center of Moscow."

Moscow's supertall is set to open in 2024. Read more about Sergey Skuratov and his work through our recent interview .

Image gallery

• Sustainability

想阅读文章的中文版本吗?

莫斯科最新超高层摩天大楼得到政府审批，将成为欧洲第二高建筑

You've started following your first account, did you know.

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.

Maximum file size: 5MB

• REFIT & REPAIRS
• AGENCY SERVICES

FIND YOUR YACHT

Make a quick search with the reference number:, popular keywords.

No Record Found

RECENT LISTINGS

Lagoon 62 – 2011, mano marine 37 gran sport, motor yacht, jeanneau sun odyssey 37.2, azimut 80 flybridge collection – 2018, marshal islands turkish, bavaria 55 cruiser, azimut 64 flybridge collection, jeanneau voyage 41, jeanneau sun odyssey 42i, bavaria e40 fly, beneteau oceanis clipper 323, 2022 mural yachts 85 semi displacement trawler, beneteau gran turismo 40, se5049 beneteau sense 50, sc3110 grand soleil 40, cb1810 leopard 48, cb1710 lagoon 52f, ma8495 searay seville, sf6229 beneteau oceanis 54, sg7153 leopard 43, sa1228 cobra yachts 850, sg7144 custom 27 m ketch, se2607 john pugh marine designs nsw pugh 56, sg7152 flagman unity 75, sg7151 scorpio 72, sb2241 dufour 36 classic, sg7087 custom built motorsailor tuzla muzaffer mengi, motor sailer, sf6278 jeanneau 57, se5048 cobana boats john g. alden design sloop 14.10, sg7150 ayna yat fethiye 35 m motor sailer, sd4268 grand soleil 42 race, russian federation, sd4351 custom built bruce roberts 430 cc copy, sd4341 custom built sloop, g21221 custom built gulet aynakic mustafa caner bodrum, g21224 yener boats custom built gulet, g20576 cobra yatcilik, g20338 custom built ketch-hasan usta / bodrum, g21222 custom built gulet-bodrum, g20113 custom built ketch-hasan ali bayar boatyard bodrum, g20577 fethiye gulet, g20413 custom built, g20410 custom built gulet-k.turhan, g20414 custom built gulet adil turhan.

Back to top

İSTANBUL ÇANAKKALE KUŞADASI BODRUM MARMARİS GÖÇEK ANTALYA

Gino Group. All right reserved. © 2024    Privacy Policy    Terms&Condition

The Skyscrapers of Moscow City, in Photos

Moscow is more a city of brick krushchevki apartment buildings and panel housing than high-rises.  But Moscow City — a cluster of skyscrapers in western Moscow — is a notable exception. The business district took two decades to build and now has some of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe. Here's a look at Moscow's business district  from far, near, within and above. 

More image galleries

In Photos: Russia Marks 10 Years of Crimea Annexation

In Photos: Russians Celebrate Maslenitsa with Bonfires and Blini

The Sad Beauty of Russia's Abandoned Villages

Russians Abroad Take Part in Anti-Putin Election Protest, In Pictures

• Classifieds
• Manage Your Account
• Saved items

Lapwai, ID (83501)

Cloudy with showers. High 51F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

A few clouds. Low 38F. Winds light and variable.

Updated: March 24, 2024 @ 12:22 pm

• Full Forecast
• Copy article link

Sandra Kelly

Bryce Blankenship

Joe Campbell

Evan Holmes

Nathan Tupper

• Liesbeth Powers/Daily News

In Moscow, six vying for three city council seats

Incumbents going against four aspiring newcomers.

• By Anthony Kuipers, for the Tribune
• Oct 31, 2023
• Oct 31, 2023 Updated Oct 31, 2023

Three Moscow City Council seats are open for election this fall and six candidates are asking for the public’s vote.

Sandra Kelly and Drew Davis are the incumbents hoping to continue representing Moscow residents. They are competing against Bryce Blankenship, Joe Campbell, Evan Holmes and Nathan Tupper. Residents will be asked to vote for three candidates at the polls Nov. 7.

The Lewiston Tribune and Moscow-Pullman Daily News sent all of them a questionnaire to let them share details about themselves and their perspectives on the future of Moscow. All but Tupper replied.

Why did you decide to run for office?

Moscow is a community where people can thrive and feel connected to others and the land of the Palouse in meaningful and intentional ways. And it is for these continued connections, both past and present, that I hope to represent our community on the City Council. I’ve wanted to continue to invest in this town that has given me so much, and I am excited to give back by offering my unique perspective and skillset on Council.

What unique qualities would you bring to the table as a city councilor?

My skillset as a philosopher and educator make me well-positioned to be an effective and encompassing City Councilor. I pride myself on being an intentional listener and learner — being patient and effective when it comes to decision-making and communicating those decisions effectively. As a senior instructor at the University of Idaho, I believe I am in a unique position to act as a conduit between students, faculty and the city. I will intentionally help grow the relationship between the University of Idaho and the city and be an active voice in various pockets throughout the community.

What are the most pressing issues Moscow needs to address?

The city must think about how to manage growth and development in sustainable, effective, and thoughtful ways. This means paying close attention to decisions surrounding fair and affordable housing, access to water, and various infrastructure issues. I will prioritize solution-based water management from insights and guidance from organizations like the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee. I will focus on data-driven metrics to help inform how to plan sustainably for the future. Additionally, I hope to be passionate about preserving and fostering the depth of our community connections —celebrating our unique intergenerational collective that makes Moscow so special.

If elected, what do you hope to accomplish by the end of your first term?

First, I will always advocate for the city — I will be an effective and thoughtful voice as we are mindful of the present but look to the future. I will strengthen the partnership and relationship between the city and the university. I will support small businesses throughout the community and be active and intentional in the decision-making processes of issues listed in the question above. Lastly, I aim to bring people together and celebrate diverse viewpoints and perspectives in all corners of our town — all of which will contribute to moving Moscow forward.

I’ve always had an interest in politics and community service. Growing up, my family spent much of the time below the poverty level. Toward the end of my teaching career I developed an interest in political theory, viewing the concept of liberty in broad and varied ways.

Our life choices are a function of our abilities and our opportunities, but not all opportunities are equal. I want to help create opportunities in education, housing, transportation and health care. Equality of opportunity helps citizens become self-sufficient, and self-sufficiency makes for a better democracy.

I’ve had a successful, fortunate, and diverse life. Growing up in a single-parent household, with a wheelchair-bound sister, I went to high school in a town that was 40% Jewish, and graduated from a college that was 40% Black. While earning degrees, I waited tables, made deliveries and washed dishes. I eventually earned teaching awards, and I’m editing my 10th book.

I appreciate complex problems and diverse points of view. My experience organizing forums will be put to use. I can help Moscow have the important conversations we need to have to have the future we want to have.

According to the Climate Action Plan, we need to reduce emissions by over 50% by 2035, obtaining net-zero emissions by 2050. Transportation is the third-largest sector in the plan. To reduce emissions, we need increased options in public transportation and active transportation such as walking and cycling. Public transportation is a Catch-22 since as transportation options increase usage will grow but we need usage to grow in order for transportation options to increase. To begin, we need to familiarize people with existing public transit options and seek input about which options they would use if given the choice.

Our progress on transportation in four years will be a gauge for progress toward net-zero emissions. One goal of the CAP is to encourage employers to develop alternative transportation incentives. For our efforts to be sustainable we need to work with businesses and developers. Business and homes need to be close for walkability and rideability to be options. Working together as a community, there are multiple ways to incentivize transportation options. I retired last spring as a professor after teaching 26 years at WSU. I have a unique ability to use my experience in academia for the benefit of our community.

In December 2022 I was appointed by Mayor (Art) Bettge to the City Council because of my professional background on planning and zoning, infrastructure, water planning and architecture. I decided to run again because I believe my perspective paired with my professional background is still needed on the Council.

I work in the western United States in several different cities where I get to see firsthand how they operate, and I’d like to be able to take the lessons learned and apply them back to our city here in Moscow.

Currently I’m the only one on the Council and candidate running who has a young family. The perspective of a young family is needed in our city when making decisions. We have incredible amenities and services for our residents such as recreation facilities and the parks, pathways, and rec programs. I always want to represent the young family perspective on issues and decision making. Moscow is a great place to raise a family, I want to ensure for years to come.

Frequently important matters are brought before the City Council that aren’t in the city council’s jurisdiction. I would like to have meetings and information sessions that are recorded and written information that helps instruct citizens what City Council does have jurisdiction over.

Refresher class of local, county and state government responsibilities. I could see this being an hour’s class twice a year where citizens could attend and be informed of the best path to resolve problems issues they see. I think this would be best if the class was taught by members of council, county and state elected official. Citizens could interact more effectively with the elected officials.

If elected, what do you hope to accomplish by the end of your first full term?

I want to start a housing submit for the Palouse like the water summit. This would educate the public and bring different stakeholders such as financial institutions, universities, the city’s contractors, engineers, architects together to proposed solutions for our city. This would allow us to find alternatives for our city and region

Gratitude motivates me to run for office. For more than 30 years I’ve observed and participated in the machinery that runs Moscow. I’m winding down my contracting business, and now have time to use my accumulated knowledge and skills as part of a team of people who share my desire to make this the best place possible. I know the reward of public service from many years working for the National Park Service. In Moscow, Nancy and I learned the real value of community as we raised kids, operated businesses, volunteered where needed, and embraced its pace and quality of life.

— My business management experience, especially an understanding of contracts, budgets, deliverables, and timelines.

— My participation, over the past 30 years, in local public hearings (e.g., annual city budget), workshops (e.g., Moscow’s Comprehensive Plan), community organizations (e.g., Moscow Food Co-op), government boards (e.g., Zoning Board of Adjustment) and attendance at more than 200 city council meetings.

— My wife Nancy’s perspective, as a UI alum with expertise in public surveys and program evaluation; founder/owner of Beginning With Music; past member of ACMS and other boards; current member of Moscow Interfaith Association; and recent retiree from UI’s Office of Research and Economic Development.

— The short-term ripple effects stemming from a diminishing pool of affordable housing for rent or purchase: workforce pressures, food insecurity, transportation shortcomings, childcare deficits and deferred health maintenance are some effects that immediately come to mind.

— Measurable steps toward a permanent solution to our water supply issue.

— The 2025 budget will be a challenge. Taxes, fees, programs, revenues, needs, planning, etc., will require close examination, evaluation, and prioritization.

— “We,” not I, will have a road map for resolving the water dilemma, including a funding budget and timeline. Long-term development, property values, business planning, revenue structure, etc. are compromised by this uncertainty.

— “We,” not I, will have identified land and initiated a process for zoning, platting and preliminary design for residential development that allows smaller lot sizes for single-story starter homes and/or manufactured home installations.

— “We,” not I, will have forged stronger two-way dialogues with taxpayers, businesses, and overlooked/underserved populations, using creative social media approaches; a bolstered public input process at government hearings/meetings; and greater outreach to community organizations and neighborhood associations.

Four years ago, I decided to run for City Council because I wanted to take a bigger step into community service. At that time (2019), I had been with Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI) for four years, had immersed myself into the nonprofit world, and wanted more. At the time I was a member of the City of Moscow Historic Preservation Commission, the City Human Rights Commission, President of the board for the 1912 Center, Heart of the Arts, an active leader in the League of Women Voters, on the board of the Humane Society of the Palouse, the film committee chairperson for the Kenworthy, a docent and volunteer with the Latah County Historical Society, and on the leadership team for the Alternative Giving Market of the Palouse (AGMP). I may be leaving things out, but you can see, it’s a lengthy list. I was also active on the Moscow Nonprofit Roundtable group, which all allowed me to be very active within the Moscow community. The next natural step, at least to me, was the run for City Council.

I was fortunate to be elected, and my reasons for wanting to continue to serve are much the same.

I am still very active in the community. I left PCEI and went to work at Washington State University for the Center for Civic Engagement where I was the community programs coordinator and I helped create the Cougar Food Pantry. I worked there for two years, and when a similar position at the University of Idaho emerged, I jumped at the chance to work for the best land-grant university in the world. I am now the coordinator for the volunteer and civic action programs at the University of Idaho and I run the Vandal Food Pantry.

I continue to serve in many capacities in Moscow. In addition to being a liaison for several city commissions, I am on the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee, on the board of directors for Inland Oasis, on the board for the Latah County Human Rights Task Force (though due to some scheduling conflicts, I may have to take on a nonvoting status there), I continue to serve on the AGMP leadership team, I am still a member of the League of Women Voters, and I am on the board of directors for the Latah County Historical Society. I served as President of the Council and as chairperson of the Public Works and Finance committee.

I have the capacity, knowledge and desire to serve, and that is why I want to continue serving as a city councilor.

As mentioned before, I have served in various leadership and board positions, and I have a 20+ year career as a journalist. These experiences have allowed me to not only hone my listening skills, but I know how to work with, and listen to, and help a variety of people. I am not afraid of hard work and long hours, and my only goal is to help our community members and to help our beautiful, eclectic city grow and prosper.

We certainly are struggling with affordable housing. This is not a unique problem in our state, or even in our country, but it is a real and growing problem.

Water is an issue, and while PBAC is celebrating its 20th year as an organization and has worked diligently to come up with long-term solutions to our shrinking aquifer, we must continue to seek alternatives to water conservation, and for that matter, to climate issues other than water. I think there are workable water plans that we can build on, but we must continue to focus on water and be able to move forward, but also pivot, if need be.

In terms of climate change, the city has been working with a focus for years on building a workable and robust climate action plan, and we are committed to battling climate change. I am proud of the work our climate team has put in and I value their insights and suggestions.

Always at issue is making sure we have the city resources to help our citizens. We have a comprehensive plan that we continue to update and implement, and we must continue to work within our means to make sure we have the structures, equipment and facilities to help our city and our citizens have a safe and healthy place to call home.

If elected, what do you hope to accomplish by the end of your next term?

This is an awkward question. I don’t have an agenda that states, “if elected I will …” and then have a list of things I want to implement and accomplish. The simple answer is I hope that by the end of my next term the city is continuing to maintain its streets, sewers, growth and management within budget, and in such a way people are happy and thriving in our town. I will work tirelessly to make this happen.

Naturally, to do this we must make sure the city is living within its means. We must make sure our growth is reasonable yet meeting the demands of people. I hope that in four years we have made a recognizable dent regarding affordable housing, and that people are not as stressed about housing. However, much of that depends on the Idaho Legislature, too. I hope that we are making strides in water conservation and carbon emissions, and I hope our downtown is thriving and diverse.

The Moscow-Pullman Daily News sent all of them a questionnaire to let them share details about themselves and their perspectives on the future of Moscow. Tupper did not reply.

Kuipers can be reached at [email protected] .

• The Economy
• School Systems
• Transportation
• Business And Commercial Law
• Computer Science
• Construction Industry

Sign Up For a Tribune Newsletter

• Daily Headlines
• Daily Obituaries
• Business News

Income opportunity

Deliver the Tribune

Event calendar

The region's best source for events, arts, culture ... everything.

Tribune archives

Digital archives: 1877 to present

Breaking news text alerts

Text LMT to 55678 to receive breaking news alerts/links to your phone. Message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to stop.

Online Poll

What is your favorite easter delicacy.

Sorry , an error occurred.

Account processing issue - the email address may already exist

Sign up with

You're all set!

Thank you .

Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.

Check your email for details.

Invalid password or account does not exist

Sign in with

Reset Password

Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.

Forgot Password

An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.

Email me a log in link

Promotional offers.

No promotional rates found.

Purchase Gift Purchase Access

Secure & Encrypted

Secure transaction. Secure transaction. Cancel anytime.

Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.

A receipt was sent to your email.

An error occurred

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• March Madness
• AP Top 25 Poll
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Drone attacks in Moscow’s glittering business district leave residents on edge

People stroll at embankment of the Moscow River in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, with the “Moscow City” business district in the background. The glittering towers of the Moscow City business district were once symbols of the Russian capital’s economic boom in the early 2000s. Now they are a sign of its vulnerability, following a series of drone attacks that rattled some Muscovites shaken and brought the war in Ukraine home to the seat of Russian power. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

A couple sit in a park in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, with the “Moscow City” business district in the background. The glittering towers of the Moscow City business district were once symbols of the Russian capital’s economic boom in the early 2000s. Now they are a sign of its vulnerability, following a series of drone attacks that rattled some Muscovites shaken and brought the war in Ukraine home to the seat of Russian power. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Police officers stand near the Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023. The glittering towers of the Moscow City business district were once symbols of the Russian capital’s economic boom in the early 2000s. Now they are a sign of its vulnerability, following a series of drone attacks that rattled some Muscovites shaken and brought the war in Ukraine home to the seat of Russian power. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

People stroll at the Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023. The glittering towers of the Moscow City business district were once symbols of the Russian capital’s economic boom in the early 2000s. Now they are a sign of its vulnerability, following a series of drone attacks that rattled some Muscovites shaken and brought the war in Ukraine home to the seat of Russian power. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

People sit in a cafe in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Aug. 1, The glittering towers of the Moscow City business district were once symbols of the Russian capital’s economic boom in the early 2000s. Now they are a sign of its vulnerability, following a series of drone attacks that rattled some Muscovites shaken and brought the war in Ukraine home to the seat of Russian power. 2023. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

A view of the damaged building is seen in the “Moscow City” business district after a reported drone attack in Moscow, Russia, early Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023. Ukrainian drones again targeted Moscow and its surroundings early Tuesday morning, the Russian military reported. Two of three launched were shot down outside Moscow, while one crashed into a skyscraper in the Moscow City business district, damaging the building’s facade. (AP Photo)

Investigators examine an area next to damaged building in the “Moscow City” business district after a reported drone attack in Moscow, Russia, early Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023. Ukrainian drones again targeted Moscow and its surroundings early Tuesday morning, the Russian military reported. Two of three launched were shot down outside Moscow, while one crashed into a skyscraper in the Moscow City business district, damaging the building’s facade. (AP Photo)

• Copy Link copied

The glittering towers of the Moscow City business district dominate the skyline of the Russian capital. The sleek glass-and-steel buildings -- designed to attract investment amid an economic boom in the early 2000s – are a dramatic, modern contrast to the rest of the more than 800-year-old city.

Now they are a sign of its vulnerability, following a series of drone attacks that rattled some Muscovites and brought the war in Ukraine home to the seat of Russian power.

The attacks on Sunday and Tuesday aren’t the first to hit Moscow — a drone even struck the Kremlin harmlessly in May. But these latest blasts, which caused no casualties but blew out part of a section of windows on a high-rise building and sent glass cascading to the streets, seemed particularly unsettling.

“It’s very frightening because you wake up at night hearing explosions,” said a woman who identified herself only as Ulfiya as she walked her dog, adding that she lived in a nearby building. Like other Muscovites interviewed by The Associated Press, she did not identify herself further out of fear of retribution or for her personal safety.

Another resident, who gave her name as Ekaterina, said Tuesday’s blast “sounded like thunder.”

“I think for the first time, I got really scared,” she said. “I don’t understand how people in a war zone can live like this every day and not go mad.”

The Russian Defense Ministry said it shot down two Ukrainian drones outside Moscow and had electronically jammed another, sending it crashing into the IQ-Quarter skyscraper that houses government offices like the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade — the same building that was hit Sunday.

A cordon went up around the building and personnel from the fire department and the Russian Investigative Committee were at the scene. Hours later, residents strolled through the district along the Moscow River or sat on benches in the sunshine. By about 1 p.m. Tuesday, workers were already starting to replace damaged windows.

The business district, a 10-minute subway ride west of the Kremlin, is home to some of Moscow’s flashiest restaurants, offering far-reaching views of the capital and a menu of upscale fare like three types of caviar, shellfish from Russia’s Far East and French cuisine.

But there was no escaping the grim news.

While Russian state television has largely played down the strikes, one channel sandwiched a segment on how Moscow’s air defenses successfully intercepted the drones in between reports highlighting Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in Ukraine that Moscow “is rapidly getting used to a full-fledged war,” without confirming or denying Kyiv’s involvement in the drone attacks that in recent days have struck from the capital to the Crimean Peninsula .

After Sunday’s strike, the Kremlin said security would be ramped up.

Still, the size of the drone that hit the Moscow City district led analysts to question the effectiveness of the capital’s air defenses, suggesting it could have been launched from Ukraine.

“If this is the case, this would be rather embarrassing for Russia’s air defenses. If a drone has been in Russian airspace for hours, air defenses should have picked it up earlier and shot it down earlier,” said Ulrike Franke, an expert in drones and military technology at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

While they haven’t caused much physical damage, bringing the drone campaign to Moscow “blows holes in Russia’s narrative that the war on Ukraine is successful and that it is being prosecuted far away from any consequences for the Russian people themselves,” said Keir Giles, a Russia expert at the Chatham House think tank in London.

“That is something which is going to be harder and harder for Russia’s propaganda machine to explain away,” he said.

A Muscovite who identified himself to the AP only as Eldar summed up the strikes this way: “We attack them, they attack us. And it’s obvious that they will succeed somewhere, and we will succeed somewhere. We should try to strengthen the defense.”

In Odintsovo, where some of the drones were downed about 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of the capital, some residents discussed the events on their local Telegram channel.

One woman talked about hearing noises that turned out to be a car or improperly closed trash containers, and seeing what she thought were drones but actually were a flock of birds, a plane and a wind-blown plastic bag.

“How is it possible to live like this?” she asked the group.

“Stop creating panic,” one member admonished her.

“If you hear a noise, be happy because it hasn’t hit you,” added another.

Burrows reported from Tallinn, Estonia.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

• Virginia Beach
• History & facts
• Famous people
• Famous landmarks
• AI interviews
• Science & Nature
• Tech & Business

Discover something new everyday

Famous places

• Food & Drinks
• Tech & Business

Top 20 Facts about the City of Moscow

Moscow Metro- by A.Savin - Wikimedia Commons

Read Next →

18 things you probably didn’t know about Sacre-Coeur basilica in Paris

Best Theme Parks and Attractions in and Around Paris

The Best Way to Visit the Paris Catacombs

20 facts about the city of moscow, 1. moscow’s oldest surviving building is more than 550 years old.

Assumption Cathedral – Wikimedia Commons

2. The world’s largest medieval fortress is found in Moscow

Moscow Kremlin on foreground- by Pavel Kazachkov- Wikimedia Commons

3. Moscow hosts Russia’s largest zoo

Moscow Zoo entrance- by A.Savin – Wikimedia Commons

4. Trains with the most frequency in the world are found in Moscow

Moscow Metro- by A.Savin – Wikimedia Commons

 5. The City of Moscow hosts the World’s second-largest library

Russian State Library main building interior- by A.Savin – Wikimedia Commons

6. The City of Moscow is home of the Babushka doll

Babushka dolls variety- by Ph. Saget – Wikimedia Commons

7. The City of Moscow hosts the world’s largest university building

Moscow State University- by Dmitry A. Mottl- Wikimedia Commons

8. The City of Moscow hosts one of the largest urban parks in the world

Visitor at Izmailovo Park- by Kristy2906 -Wikimedia Commons

9. Europe’s largest botanical garden is found in Moscow

Moscow’s Botanical Garden- by AlixSaz- Wikimedia Commons

10. The City of Moscow boasts 7 identical skyscrapers

Seven Sisters side by side pictures- by okruz- Wikimedia Commons

11. The City of Moscow FBI buildings were once torture chambers

Peasants tortured by Saltykova- by P. V. Kurdyumov – Wikimedia Commons

12. The first man in space was buried in Moscow

Yuri Gagrin- by P. V. Kurdyumov- Wikimedia Commons

13. Victory Obelisk is Moscow’s highest Monument

Victory Obelisk- by GAlexandrova- Wikimedia Commons

14. Moscow has an underground river

15. moscow’s stray dogs can navigate the metro, 16. lenin’s corpse is preserved in a mausoleum in moscow’s red square.

Lenin Mausoleum at the Red Square- by NVO- Wikimedia Commons

17. The largest bell in the world is found in the City of Moscow

Tsar Bell- by W. Bulach- Wikimedia Commons

18. The City of Moscow has billionaire residents

19. old moscow was segregated, 20. the city of moscow and england share an insignia.

St. George on Horseback slaying the dragon- by W. Bulach- Wikimedia Commons

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !

These are  Amazon’s best-selling  travel products that you may need for coming to Paris.

• The best travel book : Rick Steves – Paris 2023 –  Learn more here
• Fodor’s Paris 2024 –  Learn more here

Travel Gear

• Venture Pal Lightweight Backpack –  Learn more here
• Samsonite Winfield 2 28″ Luggage –  Learn more here
• Swig Savvy’s Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle –  Learn more here

Check Amazon’s best-seller list for the most popular travel accessories. We sometimes read this list just to find out what new travel products people are buying.

Christine M

Discover Walks contributors speak from all corners of the world - from Prague to Bangkok, Barcelona to Nairobi. We may all come from different walks of life but we have one common passion - learning through travel.

Whether you want to learn the history of a city, or you simply need a recommendation for your next meal, Discover Walks Team offers an ever-growing travel encyclopaedia.

For local insights and insider’s travel tips that you won’t find anywhere else, search any keywords in the top right-hand toolbar on this page. Happy travels!

Hello & Welcome

Popular Articles

Top 20 Streets to See in Paris

Paris in two days

Top 15 Things to do Around the Eiffel Tower

The Best Way to Visit Paris Museums

Top 15 Fashion Stores in Le Marais

Visit europe with discover walks.

• Paris walking tours
• Montmartre walking tour
• Lisbon walking tours
• Prague walking tours
• Barcelona walking tours
• Private tours in Europe
• Privacy policy

© 2024 Charing Cross Corporation

The 50 best parks and gardens in Moscow

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

1 Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

2 Kolomenskoye

3 Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve

4 all-russian exhibition center, 5 sokolniki park.

Track your travel spending and split costs with friends

Plan your trip. Keep your budget organized. Split the cost between tripmates. Wanderlog does it all.

6 Zaryadye Park

7 moscow zoo, 8 izmailovsky park, 9 muzeon park of arts, 10 neskuchny garden, 11 bauman garden, 12 park krasnaya presnya, 13 vorobyovy gory, 14 family park skazka., 15 nebo trampoline park.

Don’t forget to pack anything

Stay organized with a to-do list, packing list, shopping list, any kind of list.

16 Happylon

17 the rink, 18 vorob'yevy gory, 19 moscow-850, park attraktsionov i razvlecheniy, 20 le parterre, 21 vorob'yevy gory, 22 apothecary garden, 23 alexander garden, 24 kuskovo estate museum, 25 patriarch's ponds.

All travel reservations in 1 place

Never dig through your emails again — access all your flights, lodging, and any reservations in 1 place.

Perfect for road trips

See time and distance between places, and optimize your route to get the most of your day.

Collaborate with friends in real time

Plan along with your friends with live syncing and collaborative editing.

46 Trubetskoy Estate

47 park sadovniki, 48 biryulevskiy dendropark, 49 babushkinskiy park kul'tury i otdykha, 50 novopushkinsky square, top searches in moscow, popular road trips from moscow, what's the weather like in moscow.

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in Moscow for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

• Weather in Moscow in January
• Weather in Moscow in February
• Weather in Moscow in March
• Weather in Moscow in April
• Weather in Moscow in May
• Weather in Moscow in June
• Weather in Moscow in July
• Weather in Moscow in August
• Weather in Moscow in September
• Weather in Moscow in October
• Weather in Moscow in November
• Weather in Moscow in December

All road trips from Moscow

• Moscow to London drive
• Moscow to Paris drive
• Moscow to St. Petersburg drive
• Moscow to Berlin drive
• Moscow to Prague drive
• Moscow to Amsterdam drive
• Moscow to Budapest drive
• Moscow to Vienna drive
• Moscow to Istanbul drive
• Moscow to Florence drive
• Moscow to Venice drive
• Moscow to Stockholm drive
• Moscow to Milan drive
• Moscow to Krakow drive
• Moscow to Copenhagen drive
• Moscow to Warsaw drive
• Moscow to Helsinki drive
• Moscow to Munich drive
• Moscow to Brussels drive
• Moscow to Tallinn drive
• Moscow to Riga drive
• Moscow to Oslo drive
• Moscow to Turin drive
• Moscow to Hamburg drive
• Moscow to Vilnius drive
• Moscow to Yaroslavl drive
• Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod drive
• Moscow to Kyiv drive
• Moscow to Tula drive
• Moscow to Bruges drive

Explore nearby places

• Likino-Dulevo
• Ivanteyevka
• Orekhovo-Zuevo
• Semyonovskoye
• Ivanovskoye
• Rumyantsevo
• Dzerzhinsky
• Sovkhoz Imeni Lenina
• Dolgoprudny

All related maps of Moscow

• Map of Moscow
• Map of Danki
• Map of Shatura
• Map of Likino-Dulevo
• Map of Uspenskoye
• Map of Gorskoye
• Map of Ivanteyevka
• Map of Reutov
• Map of Domodedovo
• Map of Peresvet
• Map of Vorobyovo
• Map of Bronnitsy
• Map of Orekhovo-Zuevo
• Map of Moskovsky
• Map of Semyonovskoye
• Map of Izmaylovo
• Map of Nikolskoye
• Map of Ivanovskoye
• Map of Marfino
• Map of Govorovo
• Map of Nagornoye
• Map of Mosrentgen
• Map of Bratsevo
• Map of Rumyantsevo
• Map of Mytishchi
• Map of Putilkovo
• Map of Razvilka
• Map of Khimki
• Map of Dzerzhinsky
• Map of Sovkhoz Imeni Lenina
• Map of Dolgoprudny

Moscow throughout the year

• Moscow in January
• Moscow in February
• Moscow in March
• Moscow in April
• Moscow in May
• Moscow in June
• Moscow in July
• Moscow in August
• Moscow in September
• Moscow in October
• Moscow in November
• Moscow in December

Looking for day-by-day itineraries in Moscow?

Get inspired for your trip to Moscow with our curated itineraries that are jam-packed with popular attractions everyday! Check them out here:

• 1-Day Moscow Itinerary
• 2-Day Moscow Itinerary
• 3-Day Moscow Itinerary
• 4-Day Moscow Itinerary
• 5-Day Moscow Itinerary

Best attractions in nearby cities

• Top things to do and attractions in Khimki

Best restaurants in nearby cities

• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Mytishchi
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Khimki

• Itinerary + map in one view
• Live collaboration
• Auto-import hotels and reservations
• Optimize your route
• Offline access on mobile
• See time and distance between all your places

• Support Coda

The Big Idea

• Shifting Borders
• Age of Nostalgia
• Battling History
• China’s repression of journalists

Newsletters

• Authoritarian Tech
• Disinfo Matters

Anastasia Gviniashvili/Coda Story

Surveillance

Moscow’s ‘smart city’ program is going global. Russian activists say it targets political opponents

• By Isobel Cockerell and Katia Patin
• 11 October 2019

As Russia takes its smart city technology on a global tour, jockeying for a spot as a world leader in the market, one activist in Moscow is suing the city government for using facial recognition cameras to identify and fine her for attending a protest last year.

Earlier this week, Alena Popova, a prominent campaigner for women’s rights, filed a lawsuit arguing that Moscow’s use of city-wide surveillance technology is in violation of Russia’s privacy laws. Her lawsuit stems from a protest outside parliament in April 2018. Popova was subsequently fined $310 after a court ruled she had violated strict local laws related to public gatherings.

Popova’s suit was filed as the Moscow city government exhibited its smart city program at one of the tech industry’s largest international conferences, the World Congress on Information and Technology (WCIT), held in Yerevan, Armenia this week. 

The four-day conference hosted dozens of star speakers, including Kim Kardashian West, Alexis Ohanian, founder of Reddit, and Infosys founder Narayana Murthy. The Government of Moscow was a headline sponsor.

But while the Russian delegation presented its smart city technology to the conference’s international attendees as a crime-fighting tool, the same system is used in Moscow to identify and jail protestors, said Popova.

“In reality this is technology that is being used to hunt down political opponents, not criminals,” Popova said.

At Yerevan, the popular Moscow city pavilion was the centerpiece of the conference. A sweeping, uplit smoked glass structure covered with interactive screens showcasing Moscow’s latest technology.

Waiters served canapes and fresh fruit to passing delegates, while Alexey Parabuchev, CEO of Moscow’s Agency of Innovations, presided over the activity. He led us through a discreet glass door into a quieter, walled off enclosure. We asked if other “smart city” surveillance programs — such as those seen in China — had inspired Moscow.

“Smart cities are a tool,” said Parabuchev. “You could use this tool to oppress people. You could use this tool to make them happier, and to make their life more comfortable.”

Popova is full of praise for Parabuchev and his agency’s success in developing smart city solutions, which have transformed the Moscow’s parking, traffic, public transport and healthcare systems. But she says the facial recognition technology “operates outside of Russian law.”

Moscow wasn’t the only exhibitor advertising its smart city program at the WCIT. Taipei was also present; according to a government brochure, Taipei seeks to “open up the city as a living lab, through the constant injection of innovative energy.”

Protests and facial recognition

The use of facial recognition systems in Moscow has expanded in recent years. Moscow City Hall said it used facial recognition software on 1,500 CCTV cameras in 2017 in order to “provide security during mass protests”, and on a larger scale during the FIFA World Cup in 2018. Since then, the number of cameras, and the number of protestors, have swelled. By the end of this year, Moscow hopes to have 40% of its 162,000 cameras equipped with facial recognition.

In recent months, hundreds of thousands of Moscovites have jammed the city streets in weekly demonstrations — some of the largest in a decade. In the past, protests were sparked by the Kremlin’s politics, but this time residents rallied against the city government for barring opposition candidates from elections. Repeated waves of mass arrests followed, some enabled by facial recognition systems installed on city cameras.

Parabuchev says Moscow’s state-of-the-art technology is supported by residents, who can vote on projects using an app called Active Citizen . “Some of them think someone is trying to spy on them,” said Parabuchev. “It’s a question of communication,” he added.

Popova laughed at the idea that Active Citizen is an effective feedback loop for polling residents on surveillance issues. “It’s not direct democracy. It’s more like vertical democracy,” she said. “The questions aren’t posed by citizens but by the authorities. They’ll ask us questions like whether we prefer oak trees or birch trees planted in front of our houses.” 

At the conference in Yerevan, the Moscow delegation distributed pamphlets that showed off the technology’s success in tackling crime in the last five years: police said they discovered 1,727 offenses in the city through their surveillance networks in 2015.

“We installed cameras in public parks and public spaces and the result was that the whole percentage of crimes decreased,” said Parabuchev. 

A statement from the Moscow Agency of Innovations about Popova’s lawsuit also focused on the technology’s capacity to fight crime: “Using video analytics is necessary for ensuring the safety of our citizens,” said a spokesperson.

In a report earlier this year, one of Russia’s largest human rights groups, Agora, wrote that Russian authorities are “building up a system of total surveillance.”

In Yerevan, WCIT welcomed over 2,000 delegates from more than 70 countries, and devoted much of its program to discussing the tech industry’s broader ethical concerns. 

“As nice as it is to have these wonderful conferences, I think we have to be a little bit more frank about what we’re actually doing, where we’re going and — if there’s any machine learning experts in the crowd — what are we optimizing towards?” asked Dr. Christopher Markou, a lecturer on artificial intelligence from Cambridge University, in the opening panel session.

Parabuchev said Moscow’s Agency of Innovations doesn’t consult with any independent ethical bodies about the use of technology in their smart city solutions. “I don’t really think that there are professionals in the field of ethics,” he said. “I mean, what does it really mean? Somebody knows better what is more ethical or what is less ethical? I think that is how democracy works, you ask people and they decide. We’ve got those debates in the public space.”

Alongside its controversial rollout of facial recognition systems, the Moscow government has launched several data-driven projects in a bid to elevate its status as a smart city pioneer. Moscow has digitized healthcare for residents by integrating all medical records into a centralized system. In 2018, the United Nations ranked Moscow as the top global leader in e-government services such as digitized parking, bills and education.

Moscow is also keen to establish itself as an international tech hub, like London or San Francisco. In 2019 the Moscow government allocated $1.8 billion to the Agency of Innovations, which has since created a centralized program for young start-ups to grow and collaborate — both with the government and each other.

One of the Agency’s flagship projects is an educational tech program called Profilum, a data-driven career counselling service, supported by the Harvard Innovation Lab. Profilum creates automated matches between students and their career paths, and has been rolled out among 400 Russian schools, profiling 500,000 students with a target age of 12-18. 

Profilum collects students’ personal data for the program, and shares aggregated data with both the government and partnering tech giant Yandex, known as the Russian version of Google. “Obviously there’s a ton of issues around data privacy and that’s been tough,” said Profilum CEO Anya Shay at a press lunch in Yerevan organized by the Agency of Innovations. “Like everywhere else, it’s a question of how do you regulate that and how do you exchange data.”

Parabuchev believes Moscow’s commitment to canvassing citizens is what distinguishes the city’s tech programs from those in China. “They do not consult their citizens,” he said of the Chinese government. “They impose something which is probably for public good, but there’s a lack of communication.”

“I think it’s all a bit – too much,” said Parabuchev, referring to Chinese surveillance. “They’ve got a very strict approach to their citizens. We’ve got a different approach. More human-facing.”

The next stage of Popova’s lawsuit will see the activist appear in court on October 21. “If we lose the Moscow court case without question we’re going to higher courts and to the international courts,” she said. “No one is planning on stopping with the Moscow court, especially since we all know how our court systems work.”

The story you just read is a small piece of a complex and an ever-changing storyline that Coda covers relentlessly and with singular focus. But we can’t do it without your help. Show your support for journalism that stays on the story by becoming a member today. Coda Story is a 501(c)3 U.S. non-profit. Your contribution to Coda Story is tax deductible.

Isobel Cockerell is a senior reporter at Coda Story.

Katia Patin is Coda’s former multimedia editor.

• Smart cities

What to read next:

In Africa’s first ‘safe city,’ surveillance reigns

The smart city where everybody knows your name

Digital footprints on the dark side of Geneva

Watching the streets of Medellín

How surveillance tech helped protect power — and the drug trade — in Honduras

Russia is building one of the world’s largest facial recognition networks

Top stories.

For migrants under 24/7 surveillance, the UK feels like ‘an outside prison’

In Russia, the anti-LGBTQ campaign marches on

How tech design is always political.

Why are climate skeptics speaking out about the Uyghur genocide?

How the global anti-LGBTQ movement found a home in Turkey

• Hotels and sanatoriums
• AZIMUT Bonus
• AZIMUT Life
• Meetings & Events

Special Offers

• Management & Franchise
• Meetings & Events
• Management & Franchise

Smolenskaya Moscow

Azimut city hotel.

AZIMUT City Hotel Smolenskaya Moscow is a 23-store business-class hotel in the center of Moscow. The hotel is located in the historical building of the former Belgrade Hotel of Soviet era on Smolenskaya Square, near the Arbat and the Red Square. After a large-scale reconstruction, the building retained the style of Soviet modernism, but at the same time it looks ultramodern and fashionable.

• 8, Smolenskaya st., Moscow

What's nearby

• Opposite Ministry of Foreign Affairs building
• Smolenskaya metro station Kievskiy railway station
• Yevropeysky shopping mall Oktyabr cinema Alexandrovsky concert hall Vakhtangov theatre

Hotel facilities

• Restaurants and bars
• AZIMUT Sport
• Entertainment
• Accommodation for family

Book in advance - profitable at AZIMUT City Hotel Smolenskaya Moscow: 15% discount

Children under 12 stay free