Western Euro regions poorer than Romania (Bucharest excluded because it's too rich)

[Rumata]

From all I know Belarus is the destination fro those seeking quiet and less stressful life while places like Moscow for those who aim to make money.

[Nurzat]

...

I plan to visit both places once the tensions in the region are over, with family, if we stick to the center and the touristic places we should be alright. until then I'm interacting with Russkies in Bulgaria, it's full of them in Varna

my kids were playing with Ukrainian, Russian and Bulgarian kids at the same playground all together, it was heartwarming

[Rumata]

I plan to visit both places once the tensions in the region are over, with family, if we stick to the center and the touristic places we should be alright. until then I'm interacting with Russkies in Bulgaria, it's full of them in Varna

I wish it were possible the soonest. Just I don't recommend visiting big mass gatherings, particularly those where ugly bands like Piknik take part.
What social circles do Russians in Varna mostly represent and what are their reasons of being there?

my kids were playing with Ukrainian, Russian and Bulgarian kids at the same playground all together, it was heartwarming

It's very nice indeed. Btw, my house is now settled by a former Donbass resident (according to his car number plate).

[Nurzat]

What social circles do Russians in Varna mostly represent and what are their reasons of being there?

we don't get to speak much - just exchange basic info, like where you're from, how come do you speak a bit of Russian - many of them were actually Ukrainian Russophones. also as a group they do look blonder and a bit alien to the Balkans. I didn't dare to ask anyone if they are staying permanently or just for vacation, I think especially the Ukrainians are staying there during this situation. also, no one brought the discussion about the conflict situation, understandable, and I avoid it too. but Russian speakers (be it Ukrainians be it Russians) are ubiquitous in Varna, you can hear them at every corner in the broader central area/park/beach and us as a family were thought of being Russian by some, though they aren't anthrotards so what do they know? plus, the little kids don't give a f*ck, they make friends immediately even if they don't speak the same language (couldn't teach my daughters Russian, as I struggle with it beyond simpler discussions myself, but the older one knows to say hello, to ask some things, some words here and there - they've been watching a lot of три кота in Russian)

[Rumata]

we don't get to speak much - just exchange basic info, like where you're from, how come do you speak a bit of Russian - many of them were actually Ukrainian Russophones. also as a group they do look blonder and a bit alien to the Balkans. I didn't dare to ask anyone if they are staying permanently or just for vacation, I think especially the Ukrainians are staying there during this situation. also, no one brought the discussion about the conflict situation, understandable, and I avoid it too. but Russian speakers (be it Ukrainians be it Russians) are ubiquitous in Varna, you can hear them at every corner in the broader central area/park/beach and us as a family were thought of being Russian by some, though they aren't anthrotards so what do they know? plus, the little kids don't give a f*ck, they make friends immediately even if they don't speak the same language (couldn't teach my daughters Russian, as I struggle with it beyond simpler discussions myself, but the older one knows to say hello, to ask some things, some words here and there - they've been watching a lot of три кота in Russian)

Indeed skipping the subject of this conflict in such situations can be the best solution because the grade people are affected either by propaganda or by personal experience varies a lot. I heard stories that there in Ukraine the line of strict division in some cases goes directly between most close relatives. I have disagreements with some of mine too. It's generally insane.
I wonder if Bulgarians differentiate Ukrainians from Russians or not (to me you personally look quite Ukrainian).
Yeah, kids are kids. They have own means of communications and own interests Sure, they want even foreign speaking kids for their plays I think my kid has watched more of Soviet cartoons than of Russian ones. One of the modern ones I remember was Фиксики.

[Victor]

Indeed skipping the subject of this conflict in such situations can be the best solution because the grade people are affected either by propaganda or by personal experience varies a lot. I heard stories that there in Ukraine the line of strict division in some cases goes directly between most close relatives. I have disagreements with some of mine too. It's generally insane.
I wonder if Bulgarians differentiate Ukrainians from Russians or not (to me you personally look quite Ukrainian).
Yeah, kids are kids. They have own means of communications and own interests Sure, they want even foreign speaking kids for their plays I think my kid has watched more of Soviet cartoons than of Russian ones. One of the modern ones I remember was Фиксики.

I have friend in the Ukrainian South whose uncle is in Ukrainian army and this friend is heavily pro Russian being an ethnic Pole. They had a lot of quarrels in the family (with close relatives, his parents are already dead for few years), most interesting that this officer uncle is most calm unlike some other civilian family members. Relatives got butt hurt not just because of it, but because he converted from Catholicism to Orthodoxy few years ago, before the war, being a conscious Catholic since childhood with going to piligrimages in Poland, Spain, Italy, met Pope of Rome as part of Catholic youth organization. There are lots of examples of inside family wars, this one is more on words, but it's an interesting case.

We have to meet in Tbilisi this summer, his another uncle is living there and I will travel from Stavropol there to see the city and meet him after few years.

[Nurzat]

I have friend in the Ukrainian South whose uncle is in Ukrainian army and this friend is heavily pro Russian being an ethnic Pole. They had a lot of quarrels in the family (with close relatives, his parents are already dead for few years), most interesting that this officer uncle is most calm unlike some other civilian family members. Relatives got butt hurt not just because of it, but because he converted from Catholicism to Orthodoxy few years ago, before the war, being a conscious Catholic since childhood with going to piligrimages in Poland, Spain, Italy, met Pope of Rome as part of Catholic youth organization. There are lots of examples of inside family wars, this one is more on words, but it's an interesting case.

We have to meet in Tbilisi this summer, his another uncle is living there and I will travel from Stavropol there to see the city and meet him after few years.

imagine this conflict divides people even in Romania, which is not part of it in any way. I can broadly divide Romanians in relation to the conflict like this (I think it would be interesting to see for Russians, who in general dislike Romanians and think all Romanians hate Russians, at least at official level the discourse is very tense):

1. pro-Russian: the Orthodox people going to church and involved with church activities (cannot estimate but in some church-related events over 3 million people responded, like in a referendum to state the family is made by a man and a woman and they constantly have big marches and events against abortion), as they see Russia an Orthodox alternative to „Satanist” West (LGBT, non-Christian immigration, low morals etc)

2. pro-Russian: the non-religious „culturally Orthodox” intellectuals or people with at least some intellectual interests, being conservative by choice, so opposing the progressive West (they are not numerous but they are not uncommon either)

3. pro-Russian: some Romanian nationalists that think that, if Russia wins the war and Romania would be in good relations with Russia, Romania could get southern eastern Moldova up to Dniester/Belgorod Dnestrovskii, northern Moldova up to Hotin, northern Bukovina with Chernovtsy and Ostrov Zmeinii; these are usually the more left-leaning national-socialists who keep Ceaușescu as a national hero

4. pro-Ukrainian: some Romanian nationalists that are just Russophobic, mostly mentioning Russia taking the eastern half of Moldova (Bessarabia) and bringing communism to Romania (these are usually the more right wing nationalists, fans of interwar Romania, Iron Guard etc, some of them are openly xenophobic or racist etc)

5. pro-Ukrainian: most of the pro-West Romanians, I couldn't say what % of the population, but maybe half of it or more, since Romania has had a very good economic development after it joined the EU and we didn't see immigration or criminality rise, so it's only been a continuous improvement over this period, and people enjoy this after the harsh 1990s and 2000s

6. pro-Ukrainian: intellectuals, artists and upper-middle class youth, who become increasingly woke copycats of American social themes, these are very vocal and dominate social media and the media and culture in general, so one may think this is state policy almost though it's definitely not - the parties in power are just opportunistic and they mix a lot of stuff together, from nationalist display of flags and national pride to Western themes to please Bruxelles and Washington