June 28, 2018

Against Some Odds, Still in the Game!


Against Some Odds, Still in the Game!
A Loss Does Not Mean All Is Lost

1. Russia’s glorious football winning streak ended this week with a three-point loss to Uruguay. But with Russia’s assured participation in the Round of 16, most Russians are pretty content. Some were even relieved by the performance against Uruguay, as they finally recognized the Russian team, which allowed two goals in the first 25 minutes, as their own. In terms of both optimism and accuracy, one Team Russia fan outdid the rest, however, in correctly predicting the scores of Russia’s first two games before the start of the tournament. Upon learning of this, Twitter users quickly set to asking this mystical figure for more predictions: namely, how many kids would they have, what does the future of bitcoin look like, and of course, what will happen after Putin retires?

2. Sometimes all you need to fix a problem is a couple of Croatians in a hole. Two Croatian fans, spying a particularly deep pothole in Nizhny Novgorod, decided to jump in and have a photoshoot. Wanting in on the fun, four Argentinian fans jumped in next. And then, the next day, the pothole was magically filled. This is one of many good deeds that tourists have bestowed on Russia: among other acts, foreigners rescued a man from drowning and saved another man with CPR after a moped accident. Perhaps most notably, fan contingents from Japan, Senegal, and Saudi Arabia took out trash bags and started cleaning the stands after the games they attended. So how do Russians feel about all of these tourists? Well, we think they should be big fans.

Croatians in pothole

Photo: Vkontakte

3. The world somehow still exists outside of the World Cup madness, and in Barnaul nature put on a violent show. Barnaul, a city in Siberia, was hit with a tropical storm last Saturday. The tempest, which led to some stunning images, generated temperatures over 100° Fahrenheit and stripped the city of power. One heroic crane operator remained at his post to move a heavy load away from drivers and pedestrians, an act that led to his own death but saved many lives. Not to be outdone, several Russian cities were treated to the sight of a fiery meteor.

Storm

Photo: Vyacheslav Postnikov

In Odder News:
  • A Rostov-on-Don by any other name… World Cup tourists make some pretty major cartographical errors

  • Spirits are high, but we’re low on drinks: World Cup fans are running cities’ beer stocks dry

  • Football philosophers: the best Russian commentators engage in high-level conversation, even if they do miss a goal here or there

Quote of the Week:

“Ah, that's the Russian team we know.”

— One Twitter user expressed relief during Russia’s match against Uruguay

Want more where this comes from? Give your inbox the gift of TWERF, our Thursday newsletter on the quirkiest, obscurest, and Russianest of Russian happenings of the week.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Little Humpbacked Horse

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Russia Rules

Russia Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955