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Russia is a state within a state. To understand the population of Russia, you need to know the areas of the country; you need an understanding of the people and their interests.

I had studied Russian in college. I had gotten into it first through literature and then just really found it kind of fascinating; of course, this was during the Cold War. So they were kind of the other great enemy that you grew up hearing about.

Russia is very big and very varied. People are different in different regions.

From the country with limited hope to grow your own business and express your own personality, Russia has become the land of significant opportunity.

Much that we read of Russia is imagination and desire only.

Political activities in Russia should be as transparent as possible. Financing political activities from abroad is something the state should keep an eye on.

Russia is an Eastern Orthodox country.

I don't have any opinions about Russians. There are celebrity persons in each country. Different people do different things.

There is nobody I know by name who is concerned with collecting information for the Russian authorities. There are people whom I know by sight whom I trusted with my life.

One of the last courses I taught was on the Russian short story, which I love.