In a galaxy far, far away, the Millennium Falcon circled over a vicious battle with art and a dangerous passageway. That far-off galaxy being Russia, of course.

In honor of April Fool’s Day, we present you with jokes, mishaps, and fun times all around.

Of late, more and more Russians are getting involved in historic reenactments, attempting to recreate battles on the land in Russia where they originally occurred.

Let's go to Nizhny Novgorod to hear a Russian rendition of the song of the year. And then, lets meet some puppies and a vodka thief.

In which we tour four museums in four cities and towns in Russia and Ukraine, to see what they tell us about soceity more broadly.

We travel to a distant, Siberian lake, Russia’s second deepest, in search of the remains of ancient Evenk culture. The reindeer may be largely gone, but fishing is still an important, and powerful, shared tradition.

For our final TWERF of 2017, we look back and re-share some of our favorite stories from 2017. They may not be the most note-worthy or news-worthy stories, but we felt they were the most fun.

Why are Russians are such enduring villains, and what was the real intent of the election meddling campaign?

Photography, food and spies comprise this week's Three Best Reads. We travel to Vilnius, Brooklyn, and Washington, DC, to consider wagging tongues, boiled tongues, and an overlooked photographer.

Select images from the Children of 1917 book and film project.

On borders, learning Polish, the influence of culture, and the importance of a sense of humor.

“On Saturdays, smoke drifts over the village. The banyas are being heated.” Let’s go!