Newly declassified documents show that the British government intended to save the last Romanov.

Fiscal sanctions may be devastating for an economy, but food sanctions are a punch to the gut.

Six films in Russian cinema with foreign characters as their heroes.

The history of Russia since 2008 has been to repeatedly lop off appendages – nose, ears, digits – to spite itself. Obsessed by erroneous threats, it has invaded its neighbors, quashed all democratic activity, rigged votes, interfered in foreign elections, harbored and/or enabled international cybercrime… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Florence, Italy, is joining in on the Dostoyevsky anniversary fun.

In this week's Odder News, next year will be better, St. Petersburg's mayor should move to Africa, and bunkers are hip.

The world's youngest female pilot to circumnavigate the globe recently stopped in Russia's Far East.

In this week's Odder News, gigolos must be stopped in Russia, Yappy might take over TikTok, and "Timothée Chalamet" promotes Russian pastries.

"Any region [of the Russian Federation], a Russian citizen, a Russian person – these are our people. We have never split. Can we help with something in agriculture – please. We will give the last grain, super-elite [grain], so all is well."

–  From the website of Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, on December 2.

"I knew Hafez Assad, I knew Saddam Hussein, I knew Muammar Gaddafi. We had very good and close relationships with them. We met with them. I'll tell you, the greatest thinkers!”

– President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko name drops on November 10.

"Sometimes there is a desire to remain silent about something, to not have a falling out, but this is the wrong strategy. Conversations, conversations, and more conversations. Find out from the get-go who cannot put up with what, for whom some moments are unacceptable, what responsibilities and rights you will have, and so on.”

– Russian Psychologist Kristina Yakubova, giving advice for couples in their first year of marriage that might do any (ahem) conflicted pair some good.

Russia and Ukraine have a long history of disputes over beloved territory, to say the least… But this time, it’s Gogol.