can a 16 year old travel to Russia alone? (with both russian and us passports)

Question

traveling by finnair, can a 16 year old travel to st. petersburg, russia alone? I have both russian and usa passports on me and last year when I traveled with my parents back to the us, we asked some airport customs/passport checker lady (excuse that.. i don't know what its properly called) in russia and she said I can travel to Russia alone but I need to be 18 or older to go back to the us alone (my moms traveling there on a later date so that's not an issue) I just want to reassure that that is the case and it hasn't changed within the year

Answer 1

Yes you can travel alone, but as you have US and Russian citizenship you should note this advice from the US Dept of State Bureau of Consular Affairs https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/RussianFederation.html

“Minors who also have Russian citizenship and are traveling alone or in the company of adults who are not their parents, must carry a Russian passport as well as their parents’ notarized consent for the trip, which can be obtained at a Russian embassy or consulate, or a U.S. notary public. A consent obtained in the United States from a U.S. notary public must be apostilled, translated into Russian, and properly affixed. Authorities will prevent such minors from entering or leaving Russia if they cannot present this consent.”