Reconsider Russia

From the MT:

"U.S. Urges Travelers To Reconsider Visiting Russia"

The U.S. State Department has listed Russia as one of the most dangerous countries to visit in a new travel advisory system released Wednesday, together with states including Sudan, Pakistan and Niger. The new four-tier advisory replaces the State Department's travel warnings and alerts system and is based on seven risk factors including crime, unrest and other incidents. Travelers to Level 1 countries are told to “Exercise Normal Precautions,” while Level 4 is a categorical “Do Not Travel.”  Russia is listed as a Level 3 country, to which travel should be reconsidered, according to the State Department. “Reconsider travel to Russia due to terrorism and harassment,” reads the State Department’s latest recommendation released on Wednesday. Travelers are warned not to visit the seven North Caucasus regions over fears of civil unrest, kidnapping and torture, along with the annexed Crimean peninsula due to “abuses by occupying authorities.”  Nearly a quarter of a million U.S. tourists visit Russia each year, the Meduza news website cites official statistics as saying.  Conflict hotspots including Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, as well as Yemen, Libya, North Korea and four other countries received Level 4 rankings in the new system. 

^ The terrorism warning is nothing new, but the harassment part is. ^

https://themoscowtimes.com/news/us-state-department-warns-travelers-about-visiting-russia-60155