An illustrated history that draws parallels between a potential invasion of Ukraine today and Catherine the Great’s occupation and annexation of Crimea in the late 1700s.
 

A Siberian zoo's mascot competition has ended in fraudulent activity, anger, and political outrage. 

In this week's Odder News: a propaganda failure, fishing robots, and a cross-dressing bandit.

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.

The government wants to close down Memorial, while at the same time not be seen as the sort of repressive state that brought about the need for a Memorial. Lose-lose balancing act.

"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.

"Let's revive the Soviet school of education. It was the best in the world, everyone has always recognized this, and this is what our legislative proposals should be aimed at. After all, the Unified State Exam is just some kind of torture for young people."

–  Chairman of Russia’s Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin, reminiscing about how the Soviet system of education really made the grade.

"They are waiting for conversations from us, but not concrete actions.”

– Andrei Alekseenko, the new mayor of Krasnodar, seems to have confused the demands of his citizens.

An exhibit showing off the machine gun of our favorite mustached president (alongside other artifacts from August 2020 unrest) is currently gracing Minsk's Independence Palace.

Dmitry Muratov, the longtime editor in chief of the opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta received the Nobel Peace Prize, sharing the award with Philipina journalist Maria Ressa.

What could be more sinister than a Medusa with a mustache? A hint: a Medusa with a mustache and a reputation for being Europe’s last dictator.

On this, Vladimir Putin's 69th birthday, we are reminded that even authoritarian leaders are softies for good dogs. Maybe especially so?