My First Russia Trip: Skydiving at Dropzone Krutitcy (2025 Review)
This was my first time going to Russia. I probably wouldn’t have gone if it wasn’t for skydiving.
I left Singapore on July 18, 2025, and returned on August 2, 2025.
My original Itinerary: DZ Krutitcy 2025 | Singaporean Itinerary
Flights
Departure: SIN → PVG (BOEING 773) → SVO (AIRBUS 333)
Arrival: SVO → HAK → SIN
There are no direct flights from Singapore to Russia. My options were to transfer via China or the Middle East. I chose China because it was the fastest option.
The flights from China to Russia were brutal in economy class. It made me question whether upgrading to business class would have been a wise decision—a true test for my back!
I had thought the food on major Chinese airlines would be good, but I quickly realized that Singapore Airlines is much better. SIA’s entertainment also wins hands down, with its great selection of Hollywood movies, something that wasn’t available on the Chinese airlines.
VISA
I was lucky to have no issues with my China and Russia visas, thanks to my APEC card. However, I didn’t see a dedicated business lane, so it didn’t save me much time.
Car rental
I made a booking with rentmotors.ru. On the booking confirmation email, it said that I could pay by credit card. I even added a specific note asking them to let me know if card payment was not acceptable. I never heard back from them, so I assumed everything was fine—until the day I arrived. They told me cards were not accepted. As a result, my payment and deposit were handled by a friend of a friend who has a Russian bank account.
If you’re renting without a local contact, I strongly advise against it. The deposit can only be returned to a Russian bank account, which you will forfeit if you don’t have one.
Food
Nothing surprising here; the food was pretty normal. However, my friends were dying for Burger King, something I never bother eating in Singapore. The more universally acceptable food options were pizza, burgers, and spaghetti.
Luckily, I was staying with some friends from China who are great cooks. We often ate hotpot and had BBQs.
The Russian food I saw included wraps, soup, and salads.
Payment
It was a cash-only situation, with no cards accepted. I had registered online for a Tbank, but the representative never showed up, so it was not set up, which was a pity.
I’m thankful for my friends from China and the instructors at Flow Moscow, who helped me with the currency exchange.
Accommodation
Perhaps because it was a rural area, there weren’t many hotels or Airbnbs available for rent.
I didn’t stay at the dropzone itself because I was traveling with female friends, and staying in a hostel wasn’t very convenient.
My friends from China rented a house in a nearby town, about 15 minutes away, so I stayed there with them.
Dropzone
The facilities were great, and I have no complaints. It was my first time seeing medium and big planes used for skydiving. I was only used to small planes from my jumps in Thailand and a medium-sized one in Jurien Bay.
The landing area was also much bigger, and the view was decent.
They have a dropzone app that lets you manifest your load, but you can’t make changes yourself; you have to go to the counter for a manual update with a staff member’s help.
The app isn’t free, and you have to pay for it. I also felt ripped off when I had to pay 3,000 to 4,000 rubles for my C license, a charge that was enforced by the dropzone.
Packers were available, but if you have a large rig, you’re going to have a wait. I also had a small conflict with the staff because my rig wasn’t ready, and I couldn’t get on the load. They initially tried to charge me for it.
Achievements
This trip was a success! I increased my jump count from 165 to 213 and earned my USPA C license. I also managed to mount my camera for the first time.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do a hot air balloon jump. The waiting list was long, and I heard it was because the weather wasn’t cool enough for the balloon—a sign that global warming is real.
I also didn’t get to do a night jump, as the last few days of the trip were somewhat chaotic.
I did, however, manage to learn a bit of “shitfly” after spending 4 hours and 15 minutes at Flow Moscow. The best part? It was a third of the cost of iFly Singapore!
Learning
This trip gave me a bit of a reality check: your skydiving buddies may not always be your true friends. I used to think you were automatically friends with someone because you were literally jumping out of a plane and trusting your life and safety to them.
However, I realized this was the wrong perspective. I see skydiving as a dangerous activity, but for some, it’s just a form of entertainment, so the people you jump with aren’t as important to them.
I think this lesson isn’t specific to skydiving; it’s also applicable to “friends” you make on a normal road trip. It really gives you perspective on how rare true friends are.
Would I do it again?
Maybe. I’d consider going back if Russia is no longer under international sanctions and if I achieve financial independence. If I really want to improve my flying skills, Flow Moscow remains a great option.