[1gor]

  Think Osama bin Laden granting asylum to Snowden in some remote Taliban camp.

Strange, I am Russian and have been living in Russia for 5 years now (and before that for 20 years in the UK and Holland). And I cannot agree with your Taliban analogy even remotely. Actually, life in Russia today in some ways feels more free than in Europe. For example you don't need to be politically correct (self-censoring) when expressing your private or political views. And one can still (for now) smoke in pubs here ;)

[jrkatz]

I'm sure Russia is a fine place if you're not a journalist, particularly invested in the democratic process, gay or in any other LGBTQ group. Why, it's all worth it for smoking in pubs!

[xentronium]

> For example you don't need to be politically correct (self-censoring) when expressing your private or political views.

Right.

[SimHacker]

What if your views are that homosexuality is not a crime you should be locked up for talking about?

[ambientwhsiper]

Right. In Russia you can pretty much insult anyone as much as you like. Just hope they don't have a traumatic handgun on them.

Give me a break. Nobody moves back to Russia, because they are free to smoke at the pubs there.

I was also born in Russia and 3 years ago, I spent a year there. It is just as shit country as it has always been. Nothing changed. It's got some new paint on the facade.

[menato]

Appreciation of reality in Russia is seriously depend on who you are. If you feel bad inside, it rather caused by your own personality.

[SimHacker]

I hear there are no homosexuals in Russia. They are all very manly and masculine. Even the women. So there is no reason for a Russian man to be homosexual.

[sp332]

Maybe you should rephrase that as: almost no one likes Russia, it's very hostile to anyone who is different.