The reason for starting to learn a bit of Russian lies in the present-day crisis in Ukraine. Think what you like about it, but the political realities have changed since the violent conflict between Russia and Ukraine began – the largest armed conflict in Europe since the end of World War 2. It has the potential to escalate into something much bigger. As I am living in Western Europe, I sympathize with the Ukrainians. On the other hand, I have to admit that my knowledge of contemporary Russia is limited, partly because I have no knowledge of the Russian language. This is a reason to try and learn a little Russian so that I can gain some insight into the Russian way of thinking. They might become my foes, they may become my friends; I don’t know. But either way, I will benefit from some extra knowledge. It’s also fun to start something new. In the posts that hopefully follow, I will share some sources I have used. Don’t expect too much. If you want to study Russian in a structured way, there are better sites to visit.
Image from publicdomsinpictures.net nana tchelidze
