Southern Russia, spanning the Caucasus to the Black Sea, centers on Rostov-on-Don’s bustle, a land of Cossack plains, Sochi’s resorts, and Chechnya’s scars. Known for grain, wine, and oil, its economy blends agriculture, tourism, and energy, shadowed by ethnic tensions. Its rugged peaks and Kuban steppes hum with history. Southern Russia’s wild heart beats fiercely.