Ottoman perceptions of the outside world have become the subject of increasing scholarly attention in recent years, yet comparatively little work has so far focused on Ottoman perceptions of the Russian Empire. This paper contributes to this understudied field by analyzing the depiction of the Russian Empire in the novel "Acâyib-i Âlem" (1882) by the Ottoman Turkish intellectual Ahmed Midhat Efendi, which is set almost entirely in Russia. This paper argues that the depiction of Russia in Ahmed Midhat's novel needs to be understood in the context of the author’s worldview, which was characterized by a perceived dichotomy between Orient and Occident. Within this broader context, Ahmed Midhat depicted Russia as a fellow Oriental country which, like the Ottoman Empire, had embarked on a project of reform based on the emulation of Western models. Three themes dominated the author’s depiction of Russia. First, he depicted Russia as a model which demonstrated the benefits of adopting European learning, technology and culture as a path towards the superior civilizational level represented by Europe. Second, he presented Russian aristocratic society as a warning against the threat which a heedless emulation of the West posed to the traditional culture and morality of Eastern societies. And finally, Russia served the author as a foil against which he could demonstrate the Ottomans’ superior capacity to become civilized.