Our mission
Novika.info is an independent media outlet publishing practical guides, analysis and news about Russia. Our purpose: to give French and English speakers (expats, travelers, entrepreneurs, students, binational spouses) reliable, operational and up-to-date information to understand and navigate a country too often reduced to clichés.
We cover six pillars: visa and immigration, expatriation, travel, culture and society, Russian language, economy and business. Each guide is written to answer a concrete question (how much does rent cost in Patriarshie Prudy in 2026, how to obtain a single-entry e-visa, which banks still accept non-residents, which neighborhoods to avoid in Saint Petersburg) and not to inflate a word counter.
The team and founder
Novika.info is published by Individual Entrepreneur Valentin Limited, a sole proprietorship registered in Georgia. The founder, Valentin Le Normand, is a French entrepreneur based in Moscow for several years. His knowledge of the country was built on the ground: consular paperwork, opening Russian bank accounts, finding housing in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, regional travel, running a Russian company day to day.
He also runs the international matchmaking agency Valentin.love and edits several French-language sites, arnaques-rencontres.fr (romance scam prevention) and sigmaboy.fr (men's lifestyle), which share the same editorial standard: sources, fact-checking, and concrete usefulness for the reader.
Novika guides are signed "Novika editorial team, from Moscow" when they result from collective work, or by name when a topic warrants it. Occasional contributors are named at the top of their article.
Editorial method
- Systematic verification: figures, dates and official procedures are sourced (consulates, Russian ministries, INSEE, EFS, central bank data).
- Targeted updates: each guide shows the date of its last update and is revised whenever a regulation, price or procedure changes.
- No disguised commercial content: no publication is sponsored by the services it covers; any affiliate links are flagged at the bottom of the article.
- Journalistic approach: we separate facts, context and opinion. When a topic is sensitive (sanctions, geopolitics, traditional values), we say so and provide contradictory sources when they exist.
- Strict bilingualism: each guide exists in French and English, each version with its own address in its language.
Contact and corrections
Spotted an error, an outdated figure, or a topic suggestion? contact@novika.info. We fix and credit serious contributions.