Russians' vodka swilled drinking prowess a mere myth, claims researcher

London, Jan 4 (ANI): The image of an average Russian man as a vodka-swilling booze lover is a myth, says a leading physician.

Evgeny Bryun, Moscow's chief physician, said that it's an undeserved myth that Russians drink more than most people."Today, Russia doesn't look better or worse than the rest of the world," Bryun said.

According to Bryun, Russians only seriously began drinking after the end of the Second World War - and the party just lasted too long, reports the Telegraph.

"Soldiers got used to drinking at the front, they celebrated the victory, and this celebration lasted for a very long time," Bryun said.

Bryun's comments stand in stark contrast to a report released last year that revealed a sharp rise in Russians' alcohol consumption.

The average Russian drinks 15 litres of alcohol per year - up from 5.4 litres in 1990, the report by Russia's chief physician, Gennady Onishchenko, found.

That study found that 1.5 percent of Russia's population can be considered alcoholics, but Bryun himself said the number was likely higher.

Two per cent of the Moscow population could be considered alcoholics, he said, while 10 per cent indulged in drink every day, but hadn't been diagnosed with having a problem. (ANI)