This week, the New York Times released a well-researched, well-produced series of three videos on Russian and Soviet disinformation activities against the US and the rest of the world. Every Russophile needs to watch them.

This week was a grab bag of jobs well done, tear-jerkers, and meta-scary stories. Buckle up!

Olga Ezova-Denisova explains in words and pictures the complex process behind making her special bear linocut prints for our New Russian Life project.

Everyone in Russia knows the great writer Ivan Turgenev, whose 200th birthday is today, and they make his acquaintance in three stages. 

An excerpt from First Love, which Turgenev called his most autobiographical novel, tells the story of a sixteen-year-old boy’s infatuation with an older girl.

Ever wonder what we don’t publish? Well, here it is. The scraps on our cutting room floor, and last week’s fourth-best story – all collected in one wonderfully semi-interesting place.

If you’re here for Halloween spooks, we can’t help you: all we’ve got this week are feel-good stories!

Laura Williams, a long-time contributor to Russian Life (author of the wonderful book, Notes from a Russian Village), passed away suddenly on October 28, 2018.

A dog is a basic necessity in the village, and the bigger the dog, the better. Chado is decidedly not big.

Russian law enforcement had a busy week, from taking on the ~high~ seas to putting rich jerks in their place.

Falling objects, family feuds, and friendly felines dominated our attention this week.

What’s more surprising, fake feminists or fish with bad teeth?