Russia ranks tenth in the ratings of the most visited countries in 2015 according to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the press service for the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism (Rosturizm) has reported.

According to the organization, 31.6 million foreigners visited Russia last year, which is a 6.2 percent increase from 2014. The top country in this ranking, according to UNWTO, is France (86.3 million), followed by the U.S. (77.9 million), Spain (68.1 million), China (56.9 million) and Italy (50.8 million). "We see a constantly growing foreign tourist interest in our country.

Rosturizm is working on making travel in Russia comfortable, accessible and safe. This [means] non-resource export of services, which is very important in the current economic situation. The sector is a locomotive of the economy, it creates new jobs, promotes self-employment and increases socio-economic stability. I am convinced that Russia has every chance to strengthen its position in the rating of the most popular tourist destinations," the press service quoted Oleg Safonov, the head of Rosturizm, as saying.

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"What are you offering to Iuliia [Yuliya]? Is there an agreement you would like to send us?," the Stepanovs wrote in the email dated September 2016 after Bach allegedly offered Yuliya support for "her life" but also "her future [sporting career]", which allegedly centered around her joining the National Olympic Committee.

"We would like to confirm, YES, Iuliia needs support," the Stepanovs wrote. "What kind of support are you offering for Iullia's life and for her future? How is the IOC willing to support Iuliia's sports career? Is there a process of joining a National Olympic Committee? Is the IOC willing to help with this process?"

"Vitaly would also like to add that he will greatly appreciate any assistance in his job search. Due to his lack of education, it will be a difficult task. So maybe there is a chance he could be assisted through an Olympic Scholarship as well, so he can get the necessary education and try to help to make the Olympic Movement even better," the couple said in the email.