If you're U.S.-born and English is your first language, would you tell us about a Russian you have known personally?

How do or did you know the person, and what is your view of them? Just a sketch will do.

Mention whether your acquaintance took place in the U.S. or elsewhere. What was the context?

What I’m interested in here is especially whether you felt that there were any cultural or political barriers to your association and how you dealt with those.