March 22, 2018

Russian Election Special with Winners, Losers, and Shavers


Russian Election Special with Winners, Losers, and Shavers
Voting, shaving and dancing
(all in the name of the election)

1. Putin put in power! STOP THE PRESSES! Vladimir Putin was re-elected as President of Russia this Sunday. Putin won 76.6 percent of the vote, with 67.47 percent of Russians voting in the election. This will be his fourth and (presumably) last term as president. The next runner up, Communist Party candidate Pavel Grudinin, won approximately 13 percent of the vote. This landslide victory aptly follows the occasionally mudslinging (and sometimes water-slinging) campaigns that led up to it.

Photo:  www.kremlin.ru

2. Grudinin’s 13 percent is turning into a hairy situation. He promised blogger Yuri Dud to shave his (impressive) mustache if he did not get 15 percent of the vote on Sunday. Grudinin is trying to create his own shaving grace by claiming that he will only shave if Dud states on camera that the election was fair. Dud recently tweeted a photo of a razor, reminding Grudinin of his original promise. Either way, this will be a close shave for Grudinin.

Photo: www.kremlin.ru

3. Keep calm and waltz on: that’s the message from a protest in Yekaterinburg. Approximately 100 activists, frustrated with the predicted election outcome, waltzed on a frozen pond prior to the election to spread a message of optimism to the country. How did they convey this message? At one moment in the dance as they pause and step apart, the words “f*ck it, we’re dancing” can be read if looking at the dancers’ positions from above. It may only take two to tango, but, then again, you can’t spell anything fun with only two people.

[INVALID]
In Odder News:
  • This election-themed costume contest in Omsk was just as competitive as any election (an iPhone was on the line)

  • Bubbles emanated from a St. Petersburg voting booth for 20 minutes: talk about blowing away the competition!

  • This Simpson-style cartoon reflects on the past six years of Russia under Putin

Quote of the week:

"Do you think that I will stay here until I'm 100 years old? No!"

—President Putin, after being asked if he would run again in six years.

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
[INVALID]
[INVALID]

Some of our Books

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

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...

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

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
June 01, 2016

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. 

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