Job Discussion Forums

druzyek · Joined: 14 Sep 2010 Posts: 8

I'm setting off for a teaching job in Russia in a few days. I have carried a little pocket knife with me on most of my travels and I'd like to bring it with me. Are people allowed to carry folding pocket knives with them in Russia? I have read conflicting things about this on the internet. The blade does lock on it, which might upset the police.

JimJam · Joined: 06 Mar 2010 Posts: 69 Location: UK

I don't know if it's legal but it will certainly make bribing the police more expensive when necessary. I've never heard of anyone ever being stopped and searched though.

I wonder what you think you might need it for? Have you needed to use it in the past?

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

May I also ask if this sort of behaviour is acceptable in your home country and why you think Russian society needs this way of doing of things?

fladude · Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 432

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

Even if I did accept American arms laws, one thing he is not thinking of doing is carrying a knife for the purposes of removing a stone from a horse's hoof.

Here is something I picked out on the internet:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7508418.stm

RICHARD GALPIN, MOSCOW

Knife crime has not been singled out so far by Russian authorities or the population in Moscow as being a particular problem.

Instead, the Ministry of Interior provides country-wide statistics apparently showing that the number of crimes committed using a weapon of any kind dropped by almost a third in the first half of 2008 - taking the total to fewer than 5,000 incidents.

But this extremely low figure does not tally with what non-governmental organisations investigating specific types of crime are finding from their research.

Take for example the latest figures from Sova, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which focuses on racist violence in Russia.

Racist murders

It says the number of racist attacks is increasing by 15-20% every year.

From January to May this year, 59 people were murdered and more than 200 injured.

Most of these racist murders were in Moscow and most involved the use of knives.

The police themselves admit that knives are the weapons of choice for gangs of skinheads.

And yet in Russia there is no clear legislation banning the carrying of knives on the streets.

So, it looks as if you may just possibly be ENTITLED to, but given that most people in Russia don't behave in such a way, you would be lowering yourself to be amongst the very worst elements of its society. (This is not a comment on American society, by the way, but a reminder that carrying your own country's values to another is not always appropriate.)

fladude · Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 432

We are talking about a folding knife here I assume. So I still disagree completely, and apparently so do the Russian authorities or they would have banned knives. You don't take a pocket knife to a fight. While you may not deal with horses, and most of us don't, there are still a thousand practical situations where a knife may come in handy, which is why people carry them. I also carry a mini flashlight, which you may find to be sinister. After all, people use them to commit burglaries, but in truth I do not. I use it as a tool when its dark, like a pocket knife.

A pocket knife would be useless if you were mugged. You would have to take it out and unfold it. While you are doing that you will be shot/stabbed. If I were using a knife for a crime, or lawful self defense, I'd use a fixed blade knife or a stiletto (which are legal in parts of the US).

While I concur with your assertion that we should apply Russian law when in Russia, I am just not sure that your position actually represents the majority of Russians.... since it seems a bit alarmist to me. And obviously the Russian authorities have not banned knives. There is a big difference between a pocket knife and a commando knife or a machete or something like that (even though there are practical uses for a machete as well... but not normally in an urban environment).

jpvanderwerf2001 · Joined: 02 Oct 2003 Posts: 1117 Location: New York

I can't see carrying a knife such as you describe as a problem. I don't think many police here are patting down people on the street looking for knives. If you don't plan to use it for ill, I'm sure it's not an issue.
My 2 cents.

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

I think that there is some confusion here between what is legal and what is morally or socially acceptable. (E.g. In general, lying to people for self-aggrandisement is completely legal. The fact that the police won't arrest you for it does not mean you will be admired once the truth is known.)

The average Russian would be horrified to know that you were carrying a knife (assuming that you're not on an outdoor activity such as camping or fishing). This is not just my assumption; I have checked. The idea of carrying a knife is considered very strange and respectable people certainly would not want to be in your company.

JessInRussia · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 36

I agree more with coledavis (although not totally).

Leave your effing knife at home, you idiot! I too own a few pen-knives / Swiss Army Knives, but these are for camping and the like. I NEVER take them anywhere near an airport.

When you travel, I'm pretty sure there are knives in Russia when you need them.

Nice answer: Don't take it.
Real answer: Don't take it, nuthead.

nemnoga · Joined: 12 Dec 2008 Posts: 21 Location: Russia

echo that; I've seen for sale at tobacconists and other such small kiosks, some potentially harmful (albeit, useful) kinds of knives, even ones decorated patriotically like the Russian flag, but it's the airlines you ought to be worried about; a friend who was once emigrating to Canada had to abandon a beautiful (and expensive) set of chef's knives from her checked baggage at Irish customs.

MadGoldfish · Joined: 28 Apr 2011 Posts: 30

This actually came up in one of my lessons recently, and a student said that if you get into a fight (even if you didn't start it) and you're carrying a knife, then then you'll get a worse punishment. Apparently that even goes for a knife that wouldn't actually be useful, like a penknife etc. So all in all definitely not worth it..

mookieblaylock · Joined: 19 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

The biggest danger in Russia is getting a punch at a bus-stop... even then everyone else will try to help you.. Relax..

Red and white · Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 63

On Sunday evening I went to the opera in Moscow. As is standard, on entry to the theatre there was a walk-through metal detector. Although my phone was in my bag (which was given a cursory glance) I had an MP3 player in the inside pocket of my coat (which I'd forgotten about). 'Beep' goes the alarm, security guard takes me to one side and wafts a handheld detector over me and I had to empty my pockets.

In that instance, I was carrying an MP3 player, my house keys, a few coins and a plastic biro - nothing to get alarmed about. I wonder what would have happened if I'd taken a penknife with me. At the opera, perhaps not very much. On Saturday I went to a hockey match - that might have been a bit different.

Bottom line, if you have a pocket knife and you go to a surprising range of public places, you will have to account for it from time to time. Personally I'd find that a pain that outweighed the potential utility of the knife.