Chinese teachers Wang Yinyu and his Russian wife Natalia, founders of a language school, say they have witnessed a "huge increase" in interest for Chinese classes among Russians in the last year. Wang Yinyu elaborates that Russia not being able to "get some products because of the sanctions," that the West has imposed on it since the start of the Ukraine offensive, has also made demand grow among corporate clients who want their employees to learn Chinese. The boom in demand for Chinese lessons in Russia illustrates the country's pivot toward Asia as tensions build between Moscow and the West. Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia aims to deepen what the two countries have called a "no-limits" relationship, which is increasing important for Russia as its international isolation grows. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES