What would the world be like without a wee boy, women, or whales in the wild? Definitely worse.

Russia’s full of crazy (but lovable) animal stories this week: polar bears, camels, and fathers, oh my!

This week got a little shifty, with trash sent in packages, a possible tax evasion scheme, and a game retelling a contentious moment in recent Russian history.

The post-holiday doldrums must not exist in Russia, where we find stories of hope, change, and a mayor that cares.

Russian Orthodox Christmas has come and gone, leaving us with all sorts of holiday lunacy. 

2018 is out, 2019 is in, and even with the holidays, Russian news didn’t stop.

We look back and some of our, and your, favorite stories from The Weekly Russia File during 2018.

Paul Richardson, publisher of Russian Life, was presented with the Indiana University REEI Distinguished Alumnus Award, an honor that celebrates alumni of the Institute who have made exceptional contributions to academia, public service, education, outreach, and other fields by drawing on their expertise in the Russian and East European region.

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

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!

Ukraine will soon have its own independent Orthodox church, fueled by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.