THE Embassy of the Russian Federation in Jamaica has been offering free Russian language classes here with a view to developing initial language skills in that language.

The classes, which started on June 3, are taught by a team of Jamaican teachers who are graduates of Russian universities, and are expected to run for six weeks.

“Russian is known for being the most commonly spoken language in Europe, with more than 260 million Russophones around the world,” the embassy said in a release to the media.

It is also considered to be one of the most difficult languages in the world.

The Summertime Russian Language Course, as it is called, is said to have attracted a “significant number of participants of various ages, social groups and motivations”. Among them are professional interpreters, teachers, public officers, university undergraduates and others.

“Some are aiming to work with a growing number of Russian tourists. Others are planning their own trips to the largest country in the world, or preparing themselves for further studying or working in Russia,” the embassy said.

A week into the programme, Russian Ambassador to Jamaica Vladimir Vinokurov visited the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at The University of West Indies, where the classes are held, and met with the students.

In his remarks, he noted that the beginning of the course coincided with UN Russian Language Day — June 6 — which itself coincides with the birthday of Aleksandr Pushkin, a Russian poet who is considered the father of modern Russian literature.

Vinokurov noted, too, that Pushkin had African roots as his great-grandfather was an African who made a distinguished career in 18th-century Russia, becoming chief military engineer with the highest military rank.

Ambassor Vinokurov wished the students success in their Russian studies and thanked the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and its head, Dr Nina Bruni, for the valuable support as well as Jamaican graduates of Russian universities who volunteered to teach the classes.

The course will continue until mid-July and is open for new applicants. Those interetsed may reach the embassy at (876) 927-23-98.

Russia, which stretches from eastern Europe to northern Asia, is the largest country in the world by area.