Russia

Moscow is Russia’s capital and largest city, home to the Kremlin (the presidential residence), the Federal Assembly, and key ministries. Although Saint Petersburg served as the imperial capital from 1712 to 1918, the Bolsheviks moved the capital back to Moscow, which remains the nation’s political and economic hub on the Moskva River, with landmarks like Red Square and St. Basil’s Cathedral. For context: Saint Petersburg is the cultural capital and second-largest city; Novosibirsk is Siberia’s largest city; Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. Memory tip: think M for Moscow, M for Motherland—Russia’s modern power sits in Moscow’s Kremlin.