June 27, 2022

Forbidden Fruit


Forbidden Fruit
Juicy? Yes. Poisoned? Maybe.  Pexels, R Khalil

Russian forces in Melitopol, Ukraine, have become ill after eating poisoned cherries they stole from farmers.

The mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, reported that the cherries were intentionally poisoned with chemicals as a “gift” from locals to the Russian troops who have been occupying the city for months. He also stated that the “mass disease” caused by the cherries is a form of resistance, demonstrating that the troops should not steal from his people.

Last month, it was reported that troops stole the local cherry harvest with false promises to pay for them, after earning a large profit by exporting them to Crimea.

Melitopol is a major producer of cherries for Ukraine, as the city maintains over 2,000 hectares of farms growing the sweet delicacy. The region's resistance is sneaky but, hopefully, effective in preventing the kinds of looting and vandalism seen elsewhere.

You Might Also Like

Precarious Citizenship
  • June 21, 2022

Precarious Citizenship

The citizenship of a well-known Armenian activist is at risk after speaking out against the war in Ukraine.
A Peace-Loving Priest
  • June 19, 2022

A Peace-Loving Priest

A St. Petersburg priest faces up to ten years in prison for speaking out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 
Of Grain and Ukraine
  • June 10, 2022

Of Grain and Ukraine

The chairman of the African Union has announced a trip to Kyiv to discuss the world food crisis caused by the invasion.
Flowers in Kyiv
  • June 04, 2022

Flowers in Kyiv

Floral creations are spread throughout Ukraine's capital city to honor the Day of Kyiv. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

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.
Bears in the Caviar

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.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Russian Rules

Russian 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.
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.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

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.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  

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