Russian definitely has dialects with pronounciation specifics (e.g. one can differ south accent, as mine, from Moscow one), but at least among cities language is very "smoothed" due to huge migrations, radio and TV influence. Experts can differ urban dialects for hundreds of properties, but most of them aren't detectable by person without special education. Nowadays one can hear original dialects with full their specifics only in villages.

Some examples of original differences:

http://www.gramota.ru/book/village/map14.html - type of "g" (explosive, fricative)

http://www.gramota.ru/book/village/map15.html - type of "v" before consonants or at word end (labiodental or bilabial)

Sentense intonation is almost equal for most Russian dialects in sense that in simple sentenses only one logically stressed word has changed tone of stressed syllable. Complex sentenses with subordinate clauses get smoothed intonation floating. (The notable exception is Olonets region which keeps some reflects of old tonal stress system.) The same is true for east Ukrainian dialects, as opposed to west ones, where intonations are closer to common European style (the bound is approximately between Ternopil and Zhytomir). So, if you want to hear sentense intonation style known in English, German, etc., study west Ukrainian dialects:)

Russian definitely has dialects with pronounciation specifics (e.g. one can distinguish south accents, as mine, from the Moscow one), but at least among cities language it's very "smoothed" due to huge migrations and radio/TV influence. Experts can distinguish urban dialects for hundreds of properties, but most of them aren't detectable by people without special training. Nowadays one can hear original dialects with their full specifics only in villages.

Some examples of original differences:

• type of "g" (plosive, fricative)

• type of "v" before consonants or at word end (labiodental or bilabial)

Sentence intonation is almost equal for most Russian dialects in the sense that in simple sentences only one logically stressed word has changed tone of stressed syllable. Complex sentences with subordinate clauses get smoothed intonation floating. (The notable exception is Olonets region which keeps some reflexes of the old tonal stress system.) The same is true for east Ukrainian dialects, as opposed to west ones, where intonations are closer to common European style (the boundary is approximately between Ternopil and Zhytomir). So, if you want to hear sentence intonation style known in English, German, etc., study west Ukrainian dialects:)