Stories like this report in yesterday's Moscow Times are a reminder that Russia still isn't exactly like America, and there still is some work to do to make Moscow a real tourist-friendly place:
Yesterday, American John Lazoriny escaped from an apartment where he had been handcuffed to a radiator for five days. He was held for ransom by two men from the North Caucasus, who demanded a large sum for his release. Their American captive managed to escape when his kidnappers were out of the apartment. He somehow slipped out of his handcuffs and jumped out of a third-story window. Lazoriny broke his pelvis in the fall, and was taken to City Hospital Number 7. The hospital informed the police, which is how the story made it to the Moscow Times.
The American victim was held in a southern district of Moscow, and normally lives in a far-away southwestern neighborhood, at the end of one of the metro lines. However, he was kidnapped near the center of town--at a cafe outside the Novoslobodskaya metro station on January 15th. That is the metro station for our university! We go there all the time.
The American victim went with his kidnappers because they invited him to their home after having some drinks together. According to police report in the Moscow Times, "he might have thought it was in line with traditional Russian hospitality."
Police have started an investigation, and the American Embassy is reportedly following the case. So, when a friendly Russian man came up to chat with us last night in English at a local restaurant, we were just a little bit wary...
