Russia, if my sources can be trusted, is one big, badass place that you do not fuck with. The people there live in sub-zero temperatures for most of the year, drink like their lives depend on it and are tough as coffin nails.
The drinking in particular is something that is apparently 100 times more intense than you could imagine. My cousin lives in Vladivostok, when he goes out with business associates, pre-drinks are tumblers full of neat Vodka.
By the time the party is in full swing, you’re so plastered your basic motor functions are packing up one by one, while your Russian buddies are just getting into the swing of things.
Of course, things in Russia are changing rapidly. Since Soviet disintegration in the early 90s, radical changes took place in Russia that saw large-scale privatisation of state assets taking place.
In many instances, this privatisation was decided according to what I like to call “The Buddy System†ie. if you had buddies in the Russian government, there was a good chance you would just be given a gigantic chunk of land, wealth and state assets.
This is what gave rise to the Russian Oligarchs – ridiculously wealthy Russians like the one you’re about to see who have more wealth than most African countries.
Check it:
Eeeeeennnteresting… I really thought he’d be a lot more dodgey, but in this piece he actually looks like a decent guy.
What also surprised me was the fact that even though this guy has mountains of wealth, his cabins and chalets and houses look pretty low-budget. Nothing like the Hollywood mansions we’re accustomed to seeing on MTV. In fact, I found his premises a little depressing.
He does conform to one stereotype though – the man likes his vodka. I dig the way the Vice reporter reacts to the final shot he has to drink, it’s like he’s downing battery acid.
I swear if you and I could just get 1% of a guy like that’s wealth, we’d be set for life.
Here’s hopin’ 
-ST
