December 06, 2021

A Premature Celebration


A Premature Celebration
Money is so much better when obtained by legal means. The Russian Life files.

A Krasnodar man has been arrested for stealing 190,000 rubles ($2555) to celebrate his release from prison . . . where he was sent for committing robbery.

The 44-year-old man had recently been released from Penal Colony No. 29, and was looking to celebrate. Parties (and alcohol) can be expensive, so turning to crime apparently seemed like a nifty way to get some cash.

Finding a shift worker negotiating a taxi fare, the man took his suitcase, which contained the money. The victim reported the crime to the police, who were able to track the man via CCTV.

He faces five (more) years in prison. Hopefully he enjoyed his few days of freedom.

While the man might be a robber, he's certainly not a very good one.

You Might Also Like

Just a Little Horse Play
  • November 10, 2021

Just a Little Horse Play

Three young men from St. Petersburg have been detained by police for trying to ensure that the city’s stone horses aren’t left out in the cold.
Akhmatova's Cat Goes Missing
  • October 20, 2021

Akhmatova's Cat Goes Missing

After a brief scare, the oldest cat at the poet Anna Akhmatova's museum in St. Petersburg has returned safely back home. 
Cops and Robots
  • August 10, 2021

Cops and Robots

Russia's “Promobot” is more efficient than the teacher with eyes in the back of her head.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

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. 

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

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.

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