Culture & Customs

“Usually, to put money on a card, you need an ATM; with magicians, everything is much simpler: just rub a coin and it becomes invisible.”

– Eugene, at Nevyansk prison, as he shows off a magic trick.

Russia's Arctic towns are overdue for a makeover and graffiti is just what these chilly outposts need.

In an effort to prevent the "cult of selfishness," Russia's Ministry of Culture is implementing a project to preserve traditional values in 2022.

In honor of Chekhov's birthday, we present his story, "The Fiasco," translated by Bob Blaisdell. And a video version...

Religious or not, January 19th marks the day in which thousands of Russians dunk themselves in freezing waters for the annual Epiphany swim.

In this week's Odder News: under-the-radar pets, dangerous tomfoolery, and a pregnant lady's trek through the mountains.

The Rostov Oblast puts new limitations on the behavior of wedding-goers.

“I consider the Tomsk Winter Olympic Games open!”

– Viewers joke as a man chases after his escaped plastic bathtub in the city of Tomsk.

A high-school biology teacher wasn't expecting officials of the Russian Orthodox Church to be so vocal about a recent lesson.

Sellers of souvenirs? They’re missing you, folks! But perhaps not that much.

A new study shows that the percent of Russian kids aged 3-6 using the internet has tripled in the last ten years, among other stats.

In this week's Odder News: Kanye comes to town, free gas for eternity, and a young language prodigy.