Moscow is the capital of present-day Russia.
Moscow . With over 40 percent of its territory covered by greenery , it is one of the greenest capitals and major cities in Europe and the world , having the largest forest in an urban area within its borders -- more than any other major city -- even before its expansion in 2012 . The city has served as the capital of a progression of states , from the medieval Grand Duchy of Moscow and the subsequent Tsardom of Russia to the Russian Empire to the Soviet Union and the contemporary Russian Federation .