The threat of coronavirus is not funny, but advertisements for tongue-in-cheek “remedies” are catching on among entrepreneurial Russians.

“We wanted to draw attention to the problem: a lack of medical masks in pharmacies, the lack of information on the coronavirus. We were not trying to scare our compatriots or laugh at a hot topic. We just set up a social experiment.”

– One of two men fined for their video pranking the coronavirus

A Russian comedian made a joke and then decided he needed to flee the country to avoid arrest.

“We creatively solve any problems: from opening a bottle to paying taxes.”

– Russian musician Sergei Shnurov, on the Russian people.

A panda in the Moscow zoo destroyed a pine tree. It was anything but an accident.

All I want for Christmas is to smell like Putin. (Unboxing a mysterious Putin-esque cologne.)

A camel in southern Russia, out for a jog, caused severe rail delays.

This week's Odder News, we cover everything from mummies to hogs, from cussing to bows and arrows. Oh, and skyscraper jumping...

“Statistics are a stubborn thing, and even with my diagnosis you have a chance to get better! Just believe in it! I was just unlucky :)"

– A beloved and influential Russian oncologist, in his last Facebook post before he died of cancer.

Snowboarder and filmmaker Igor Popelyukh was enjoying himself off-piste at Sheregesh Ski Resort in Kemerovo Region when a large grouse got seriously pissed off.

The All-Russia People’s Front, an organization founded by Russian President Vladimir Putin, apparently counts teenagers as part of all Russian people.

We re-share some of our favorite stories from 2019. They may not be the most noteworthy or newsworthy stories, but we felt they were the most fun.