Abstract
Most of what we know of Russia comes from our views of Moscow and Putin. Distorted half-truths, political assassinations, Cold War spy mythology, Communism and political oppression reign in the capital city, but as many Russians will affirm, Moscow is not a reflection of Russia. Most Russian citizens, including the many diverse ethnic groups throughout Russia, live elsewhere. Dispersed across a vast landscape, they both admire and resent the Moscow megalopolis. From the outsider perspective, Russia is Moscow.