Why in this country, buying a can of 'god cow' must also show a citizen's identity?

Foreigners who move to Russia seem to expect some changes in their lives. Sometimes, however, they are surprised to discover that the smallest things they do back home are banned here.

Cheese and LinkedIn

Perhaps the biggest complaint among expats living in Russia is the lack of certain European-made cheeses.

In 2014, Russia banned bulk imports of certain foods from the European Union in response to EU sanctions against the country. Sanctions prevent Russians and foreigners from accessing some of the products they are used to.

"Someone mentioned raw cheese from France. I miss them a lot. And good quality steaks from Australia and the US. All because of sanctions," said Jay Miller, an expat in Russia. .

The inability to access the social network LinkedIn in Russia surprised many people.

While bans on certain foods have been commonplace for years, the inability to access the social network LinkedIn in Russia has surprised many foreigners even more. 

In 2016, a Russian court ruled that LinkedIn should be blocked in Russia, because the site allegedly violated new data storage laws.

Since then, the career social network has remained officially banned in the country. However, some users are still able to find a way around the ban by using VPN services.

Energy drink

There is no federal ban on the sale of energy drinks to minors in Russia. However, many cashiers often ask for citizenship as proof of legal age when a person goes to an energy drink store, because of suspicion of a violation.

 Depending on where you live, you may or may not be able to buy energy drinks if you're under 18.

In fact, cashiers actually have the right to ask for identification, since the sale of energy drinks to minors is banned at the local level in almost half of Russia's regions, though not all over it. everywhere.

Therefore, depending on where you live, you may or may not be able to buy a can of Red Bull (the familiar Vietnamese brand of "Bud"), or another energy drink if you're under 18. Sometimes, the rules are interpreted in a rather nonchalant way, leading to somewhat humorous incidents.

"I believe in Russia there is a law against selling energy drinks like Redbull to minors. But I don't think other carbonated drinks count. So I bought two small cans of Coke Zero at a shop. small shop in Vologda and a cashier asked me for my passport," said Andrea Doherty, a foreigner living in Moscow.

"I said I didn't have one, so he didn't sell them to me. I was completely confused. This was the only time I was asked for my passport when buying Coke."

Drugs

Some foreigners have reported troubles they faced when they discovered that prescription drugs they had taken in their home country could not be legally purchased in Russia.

This is because Russian health authorities have to certify all drugs distributed in the country and sometimes they have a different view than regulatory authorities in other countries.

There are a number of drugs that cannot be legally purchased in Russia.

"Provigil (Modafinil) and Adderall are considered controlled active ingredients here. Buying them from online drug stores carries a prison sentence. I was diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)) and the US prescription is not appropriate," Gene Kurbatov said.

Before boarding a plane to Russia, Kurbatov was told to dispose of his medication at the airport. When he arrived in Russia, Kurbatov had to look for a suitable and legal alternative to buy.

There have been many cases of people being arrested at post offices asking for medicines that are not registered in Russia.

Special ban

The ban on filming in the Moscow metro is perhaps a more special case of all.

"The security guard in the Moscow subway forbade me to take pictures of the beautiful stations. I forced myself to show him the bulletin boards everywhere saying that photography is allowed in the subway (as long as you don't use it). using a tripod, flash or obstructing the flow of passengers) That was the only negative experience I had during my two-week stay," said Seb Renard.

Another foreigner spoke out about an unwritten ban related to the opening of the cabin windows to relieve mystery.

"It was stifling when the train windows were tightly closed and the heating was on, especially when someone was eating fish or boiled eggs in the carriage. The women on the train always refused to open the door," said even in the summer".

Since some of these prohibitions are not written laws, many hope to achieve them by negotiation. But that depends on luck.