Russia

Type	COUNTRY
Russia

The Russian Federation (Российская Федерация), more commonly known as Russia (Россия), is a state in northern Eurasia. It is the largest country in the world, and a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 85 federal subjects. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both via Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea.

Russia, unlike other European countries, does not use the PEGI system, and instead uses its own controversial ratings system.

Between 1922-91, Russia was part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (also known as the USSR or Soviet Union). Because of this, any games which make reference to the Soviet Union are listed below.

Russia in the Grand Theft Auto Series

General

• The Russian Mafia appear throughout the Grand Theft Auto series.
• The AK-47, an assault rifle which regularly appears throughout the GTA series was first developed in the Russian SFSR by Mikhail Kalashnikov.
• The RPG-7, a rocket launcher which regularly appears through the GTA series, was first developed in the USSR.
• There are seven vehicles in the saga based on a Russian/Soviet vehicle: the Bulwark, the Dune, the APC, the Savage, the Nightshark, the V-65 Molotok and the RM-10 Bombushka.

2D Universe

• The name of the Grand Theft Auto 2 radio station KGBH is a reference to the KGB, the security agency of the Soviet Union.

3D Universe

• Many references to the Cold War are made in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
• Pastor Richards mentions Russia on Vice City Public Radio show Pressing Issues
• The Dragunov, a sniper rifle featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, was first developed in the USSR.
• Bruno's opponent in the film Push-Up - The Movie is from the Soviet Union.
• At the start of the mission Just Business given to the player by Big Smoke in GTA San Andreas, Smoke will say at the beginning of the mission on the journey to the mall: "All my life I've been told to fear the Ruskies, but I ain't even met one. Then the [Berlin] wall comes down and we're all supposed to be friends".

HD Universe

Grand Theft Auto IV

• Many characters in Grand Theft Auto IV were born in the former Soviet Union.
• Hove Beach in Liberty City has a vast Russian population, as well as immigrants from other former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries, such as: Bulgaria and Yugoslavia.
• The Little Gorbachefs restaurant chain in Liberty City is a reference to Mikhail Gorbachev, the last General Secretary of the Soviet Union (1985-91).
• Perestroika is a Russian-owned cabaret club in Liberty City. The club's name translates into English as "restructuring" and is a reference to the political and economic reforms within the Soviet Union during the late-1980s by Mikhail Gorbachev.^
• Many Burger Shot fast-food restaurants tend to have Russian women working at the cash register.
• Vladivostok FM takes its name from the Russian city of the same name, and the Grand Theft Auto IV tracklist includes music from Russian and Ukrainian artists.
• Cherenkov Vodka is a Russian vodka brand.
• Some female pedestrians may call the protagonist "chuzhoy" (Russian for the word "stranger") if they bump into them.

Grand Theft Auto V

File:Nogo Vodka advertisement.jpg

Nogo Vodka advertisement demonstrates typical stereotypes about Russia and Russians

• Josef from the Civil Border Patrol, is a Russian immigrant.
• Several Russian flags appear in places like the Los Santos Golf Club or Jetsam Terminal. A Russian flag can also be seen on the rudder of the Cargo Plane.
• In the enhanced edition of Grand Theft Auto V, the Dukes has a customizable option where the player can add a Russian flag to the roof of the car for $2,500.
• During his monologues, Los Santos Rock Radio DJ Kenny Loggins sometimes says "We won the Cold War with a guitar solo", a possible reference to Billy Joel's 1986 concert in the Soviet Union.
• Natalia Zverovna was born in Russia.
• Golfer Mark Fostenburg claims he has a doppelgänger playing in Omsk, a city in the south-west of Siberia.
• The Heavy Shotgun is based on a Saiga-12K, a Russian-made shotgun.
• The MG's design takes elements from the PKM, the RPD and the PKP Pecheneg, general purpose machine guns of Russian/Soviet origins.
• The T-34 wreck located in La Puerta is a Soviet tank.
• Mesa's front fascia and grille are presumably copied from UAZ-469.
• In Gordon Moorehead Rides Again the main villain is Russian. Also in the show there are a lot of mentions of the Soviet Union.

Grand Theft Auto Online

• Maxim Rashkovsky and Dima Popov are Russia. Also, after being broken out of Bolingbroke Penitentiary, Rashkovsky is flown back to Russia.
• Bogdan and his mercenaries are Russian, as is their submarine.
• The San Andreas Flight School Update added a Russian Federation Chute Bag in GTA Online.
• The Galaxy Super Yacht can be personalised by installing the flag of Russia on the stern.
• The Nightshark, the Chernobog, the Savage, the Akula, the RM-10 Bombushka, the V-65 Molotok and the Cargo Plane are considered and/or based on military vehicles and aircraft of Russian/Soviet origins.
• Rune is a Soviet car brand they only built one car the Cheburek

Trivia

• In Grand Theft Auto IV, some Russians will comment "If he dies, he dies" when witnessing the death of an NPC. This is a reference to the fourth installment of the Rocky series, in which Russian boxer Ivan Drago beats Apollo Creed to death and uses this line.
• Rune is a Russian/Soviet vehicle manufacturer, as its only vehicle, the Cheburek, is mainly based off the Russian VAZ-2105.