Russian

Russian is spoken by 258 million people across Russia and the former Soviet states — a region spanning 11 time zones with vast natural resources in energy, minerals, and agriculture. Despite geopolitical complexity, Russia remains the world's largest country by area and a major player in energy, aerospace, defense, and nuclear technology. Russian proficiency is in high demand in government, intelligence, energy consulting, and NGOs. The language also provides access to markets in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the Caucasus. FSI rates it at 1,100 hours — challenging but achievable for motivated professionals.