Thanks for the view into your world. What’s the general feeling of regular citizens being in such close proximity with so many armed enforcers? I got a little nervous watching this. But I’m not accustomed to it.

I also feel a little nervous in such circumstances. These guys often hang around the city center, especially on holidays and weekends. It is not like they grab anyone they see but still it is clear why they are there. Also they have very little responsibility so whatever happens it will be your problem and not theirs.

In general we have a lot of security measures in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg - cameras and metal detectors everywhere, baggage scanners on subway and train stations, sometimes even malls, lots of police, when some public event happens it is always fenced off. Myself I find it depressing. Some older people find it strangely calming - like there is danger outside but it is under control.

Smaller cities have much less of it (and police in general), sometimes too little.