Culture & Customs

Six films in Russian cinema with foreign characters as their heroes.

TikTok isn’t just for kiddies these days. The video streaming platform offers a range of people, such as those of Russia’s many ethnic groups, the opportunity to educate others about their cultures.

Our bimonthly roundup of news on Russia most others missed.

An excerpt from the new book, The Gambler Wife, a glimpse into the life and motivations of Dostoyevsky's very successful wife.

August 27, 1698, was a day of historic importance for the grooming of the Russian male. It was then that Tsar Peter I (known to history as “the Great”), armed himself with scissors and undertook to mercilessly clip beards from the faces of summoned noblemen and boyars.

In Russian, neither a Scrooge nor a Plyushkin be!

You may have heard of Tuva because of its stamps. But the Siberian Russian republic is so much more, offering a curious mixture of deep cultural traditions, natural beauty, and mortal danger. 

When a general retires, a village can be in real danger. Because a general cannot ever really retire, and he may or may not have the sort of useful skills that the local folk require.

The pirog is quite capable of holding the flag as the most important dish in Russian cuisine. It is a filling, generous, and hearty meal, containing all the major food groups (vegetables, animal protein, grains, and bread) rolled up in one.

In this week's Odder News, stay out of the elevator, be careful where you ice skate, and Ivan Urgant says goodbye to 2021 in grand fashion.

The Russian town of Rasskazovo hosts the very first all-Russian sock knitting championship. 

"Since I am also a lawyer, I can act as an attorney for Father Christmas, and remind the plaintiff that Father Christmas fulfills wishes and gives gifts only to good girls and boys. Let him analyze his behavior and, perhaps, find something that has prevented Father Christmas from presenting him with gifts for the New Year holidays. This will be the main line of defense."

–  On December 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to defend Father Christmas after a St. Petersburg lawyer sued the gift-bringer.