Russian is a language of history, politics and high culture. Great writers in Russian include Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. It is also a language of media, technology and commerce - it is widely used today throughout the former Soviet Union - well beyond the borders of Russia today. It is also spoken in Alaska - which was first colonised by the Russians before they sold it to the Americans in 1867 for $7.2 million (about 2 cents an acre).

You can learn Russian in school or at university. Distance and after hours learning are also available via the Victorian School of Languages . Community Language Schools also run Saturday classes for students. Adults can learn Russian at the University of Melbourne or take short courses through the CAE .