Do Russians kiss on the cheek as greeting?

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h61j

no fixed rule, people are different.

Misanthropist

Depends on the person, but generally its only women that do it . Men may sometimes kiss too, but that's when they haven't seen each other for a VERY long time (long lost relatives, army buddies, etc.). Even among women it's not universal - personally, I really don't like this custom, especially during flu season, so I politely tell my friends that I would prefer to refrain from kissing all the 7 people going out for lunch. :)

EDIT: Hmmm, men kissing female friends. Well, from my observations it has a lot to do with the guys character - if he's outgoing , the life of the party, a bit full of himself, he'll probably have no problem doing the cheek-kiss greeting. However, most guys that I know seem to steer clear of that - they consider it effeminate. I remember being at a party once and a guy I barely knew decided to say goodbye in such a manner. It was pretty awkward...

Kseniya

Close friends only and men don't kiss each other usuallly, they shake hands. Formerly it was indeed normal for men, because such kissing didn't have any sexual meaning.

Personaly I have a few friends, both guys and girls who I kiss when we meet, but that's my old time "tested" buddies =)

Cossak

Yes...lol...all do that,mostly women.

greetings_losers

I remember a photograph showing Gorbachev and Yeltsin kissing each other on the lips. It may be Gorbachev and Brezhnev as well don't remember now. That was when communism was alive tho. It's fortunate for Russian-Slavic men that this custom has died out really. That is esthetically not a nice picture after all.

I've also heard Russians kissing 3 times on the cheeks like Middle Asian people of ex Soviets. When I asked my Russian girlfriend, why ppl who are not sexually into each other kiss each other on the lips she told me that they dont. For a strange reason they try to hide that custom. Hilarious. I lived in Moscow less than a year and never seen any 2 guys kissing each other on the lips, including gay men

Irene

i wouldn't say so.
just some of infantile teen age girls and relatives kiss on the cheek as greeting

yuliyasa2003

Well it all depends on people. Some of them do that, some not. For example i don't have that habit with friends, don't know why, just happened like that i guess.

good luck

Skimboarder

Yes, it might be strange but in Russia thats what we do

Laurie

yes both cheeks but doesn't have to be girlfriend or boyfriend. It's a way of greeting. I've been kissed on the hand too. All our respectful greetings to females.

Eran.ru

Yes,when you are greeting girlfriend or boy friend.

Eurogirl

Yes they do.

karmagrl76

In Eastern European countries until recent times, kissing between two men on the lips as a greeting or a farewell was as normal as the modern Western handshake[citation needed]. This custom has nearly died out due to Western influence. In the past, kissing wasn't considered sexual in Slavic and Muslim countries.

demandrew

sumtimes

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