Ulan-Ude is today the capital of the republic of Buryat of Russia. The Buryats was originally nomadic, with cultural similarities and of the language to the Mongolians and religious similarities to the Buddhist tibetanos.
This day, Buryatia continues being the greatest center of buddhism in Russia. It is an historical center and cultural multinational where the Russians, Mongolians, the Chinese, and cossacks lives in harmony and peace.