14 Best YouTube Channels to Learn Russian

YouTube’s an indispensable free Russian learning resource. Channels for learners offer slower, simplified Russian that’s easier to understand than native movies or TV shows. And short YouTube videos are better for a learner’s limited concentration span.

Fun videos make a great reward for tedious Russian grammar study. Here are some of the best YouTube channels to learn Russian.

If you find a Russian YouTube channel for learners you love, check out their other resources. Many have free Telegram channels and podcasts as well as paid courses. Joining their community of dedicated Russian learners is a great way to stay motivated.

Supporting your favorite Russian YouTube teacher through Patreon or YouTube membership also gives you access to bonus content and is the best way to reward their hard work and creativity.

Also, don’t miss my full list of resource recommendations for learning Russian independently.

1. Real Russian Club with Daria

Levels: Absolute beginner to advanced (A1-C1)

Subtitles: Russian and English. Some videos partially or completely in English.

Real Russian Club offers a wealth of content for all levels and is one of the best YouTube channels for learning Russian. Engaging host Daria is a certified language teacher with a PhD in Russian history.

Beginners should start with the Zero to Fluency course. The Slow Russian playlist is great for advanced beginners and intermediates. And advanced students will enjoy Daria’s travel vlogs as well as the Fast Russian series.

Daria sometimes reads Russian children’s stories live on her channel. This is a charming, relaxing way to learn about Russian language and culture.

Be sure to sign up for her free email course, which sends a helpful lesson every week.

Beginners also shouldn’t miss her TPRS Russian podcast. This innovative language-learning method is focused on making you speak. You listen to short, whimsical stories and answer simple questions in Russian.

Her Slow Russian podcast is ideal for intermediates and ambitious beginners.

2. Be Fluent in Russian

Levels: Total beginner to intermediate

Subtitles: English (most videos); occasionally other languages

Фёдор (Fedor) calmly and clearly breaks down Russian in fascinating videos on language, culture, and personal development. He’s a gifted teacher with a lot of sincerity and positive energy.

Explanations are in English, making the content accessible to all levels. Normally, I prefer explanations in Russian, but Fedor offers too many invaluable tips to miss. To hear more Russian, try his extensive Listen to Russian playlist with videos for all levels.

3. Russian With Max

Levels: Absolute beginner to advanced (A1-C1)

Subtitles: Russian and English (most videos). Some videos partially in English.

Tag along with cheerful and engaging Max in his daily life and travels around China and Russia as he teaches us authentic Russian.

Max also creates the Comprehensible Russian podcast, excellent for intermediates and motivated advanced beginners.

4. Russian with Dasha

Levels: Absolute beginner to advanced (A1-C1)

Subtitles: English and Russian (most videos). Some travel tip videos in English.

Russian teacher Dasha creates enjoyable content about Russian culture and language.

I especially love the slice-of-life videos about her babushka and explorations of Siberia and the St. Petersburg area. Dasha’s gentle and insightful commentary makes this channel a delight.

She also has two excellent podcasts for intermediates, Learn Russian with Dash‪a‬ and Russian Twist, which she co-hosts with Tom, an advanced Russian speaker from London.

5. Ru-Land Club

Levels: Absolute beginner to advanced intermediate (A1-B2)

Subtitles: English and Russian (most videos). Many videos partially in English.

Helpful lessons by Nika Minchenko, founder of online Ru-Land Club language school. Ru-Land is based in Ukraine, but videos feature a neutral Russian accent.

Intermediate students should try their playlist about Russian literature.

6. Easy Russian

Levels: All

Subtitles: Russian and English (displayed simultaneously)

Easy Languages is a unique non-profit that helps people learn languages through authentic street interviews. These short, engaging videos show local language and culture in natural, everyday situations.

Beginners should start with the Super Easy Russian for beginners playlist.

Intermediate to advanced students will enjoy Easy Russian’s fascinating street interview series from St. Petersburg.

7. Anna Cher: Russian from the Heart

Levels: Beginner to intermediate

Subtitles: Russian (most); English (some videos); some videos with English explanations

Anna is a talented Russian teacher living in New York City. Her content is outstanding: clear, creative, and structured.

8. Russian Progress

Levels: Low intermediate to advanced (B1-C1). Motivated beginners can also try the videos with English subtitles.

Subtitles: Russian (most); English (some videos); occasionally other languages. Video list with subtitle details.

This excellent channel attracts a devoted following of serious Russian learners. Polyglot Артём presents interesting tips on learning Russian and Russian culture. His YouTube lives are a lot of fun too.

9. Russian with Anastasia

Levels: Beginner to advanced

Subtitles: Russian; English (most)

Anastasia, a personable teacher from St. Petersburg, posts creative lessons and cultural and travel videos.

I especially like her Russian Conversations with native speakers and learners. The series is designated pre-intermediate to intermediate (A2-B1), but English subtitles on most videos make it accessible to everyone.

10. Learn Russian

Levels: Intermediate. Motivated beginners can try the videos with English subtitles.

Subtitles: Russian, English (a few videos). A few videos partially in English.

Professional linguist Stanislav Chernyshov, or Stas, is the author of popular Russian textbook Поехали! (Let’s Go!).

Stas’s infectious enthusiasm and good humor make his videos a joy to watch. While few videos have English subtitles, Stas has a gift for making himself understood in Russian even to beginners.

Stas’s Russian Calendar series for intermediate students is chock-full of fascinating stories about Russian history, language, and culture. Also, don’t miss his funny rap videos.

11. Angelos Georgakis

Levels: All

Subtitles: English. Explanations mostly in English.

Angelos Georgakis is a Greek life and business coach passionate about Russian culture and language. He worked as an English teacher in St. Petersburg, and many of his videos are set there. Angelos offers lots of useful tips for learning Russian.

12. Орёл и Решка

Levels: All

Subtitles: Many videos with English subtitles as indicated in episode titles

Popular Ukrainian travel show broadcast in Russian. The title Орёл и Решка translates as “Heads and Tails.” (Language note: Орёл и Решка literally means “eagle and tails,” referring to prerevolutionary Russian coins with an eagle on the front.)

Each episode, two presenters travel to a different place in the world for a weekend. They flip a coin to determine their budget. The winner gets unlimited funds to spend while the loser has to survive on $100.

Former host Anton started his own popular travel channel, also with English subtitles on many videos.

Andrey Burenok is another recommended Ukraine-based travel vlogger. His series of expat interviews in various countries is fascinating. However, only the excellent Odessa expats video has English subtitles.

13. 1420

Levels: All

Subtitles: English embedded on all videos

Fun short street interviews with Russian speakers on topics like Russian women about their life goals and Do Russian teens really play CS:GO?.

These videos can be a bit snarky, but they are undeniably entertaining.

14. The Американец

Levels: All (beginners should stick to his Russia travel playlist with English subtitles)

Subtitles: Some with English

Американец (American) Andy Freka has lived in Russia for 19 years. Follow his humorous, creative coverage of the country and its people.

Have more recommendations for the best Russian YouTube channels? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

_{Feature image: Real Russian Club with Daria}