In my experience, both Russians and Chinese, in general, don’t speak much English.

I’m not sure why this is the case for Chinese people, but for Russians the reason is quite clear. At school, the requirements for learning English are very low, and by the time people grow up, it becomes much harder to learn a new language. There’s less time, less motivation, and everyday life takes over.

Another thing is the language itself. Russian is incredibly rich in expressions and nuances. You can say the same thought in a hundred different ways, all with slightly different emotions and meanings. English, on the other hand, often feels very mechanical to me. It’s efficient, practical — but emotionally flat.

When I hear two elderly people having a conversation in English, it sometimes sounds like two robots talking to each other. The same standard phrases, the same patterns. I understand most of it, even though I’ve never formally studied the language.

I don’t mean to offend anyone — this is just my personal observation from the outside.