Agree with everything that's posted here. I've spent months and months travelling through most parts of Russia, and with the exception of a couple of spots in the Caucasus, it's all safer (from a robbery / violence / terrorism perspective) than western Europe, and certainly America. Being out in very remote and wild places has implicit risks, but nothing specific to Russia.
Russians are overall the nicest, most helpful, reliable and honest people I've met in years of travelling all over. One part of their persona is a rather hypochondriacal concern over safety when out of one's familar surroundings. Russians very seldom travel inside Russia for pleasure and I imagine 99% of the people who are telling you the east is dangerous have never been east of the Volga.
It would be ridiculous to cancel a trip based on this hearsay.
Daniel
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