Russia-NYC Photo Series 10

Roma, who lives in Moscow region, was wearing his Brooklyn Bridge shirt as he visited the Olympic Ski Resort Roza Khutor in Sochi with his family. His dad said Roma may want to serve in the armed forced when he is older, adding it has become “prestigious” again to do so. His father’s words reminded me of an interview I had more than a decade ago with a former Russian officer, who said he left to work in business exactly because it was no longer “prestigious” to serve and moral low. Indeed, since that interview in early 2000s, salaries for the Russian armed forces have risen significantly and equipment/living conditions updated.