April 30, 2021

Hedgehog in the Smoke


Hedgehog in the Smoke
Hopefully, the little guy is off to sip tea and watch the stars with Bear Cub.  Tadeusz Lakota, unsplash.com

Moscow firefighters had just finished putting out a fire in the city of Kolomna when they noticed something prickly wedged against the hot metal wall of a garage. After cooling the wall off, they were able to rescue a slightly singed but mostly healthy hedgehog.

The poor thing was only slightly wounded, despite being found tangled with litter. Thankfully, the rescuers knew exactly what to do. They cared for the small wounds on its legs, fed it cookies with milk, and released the poor creature back into the woods.

So just like in the classic Soviet children's animation, Hedgehog in the Fog, it was a happy ending for all. 

You Might Also Like

Fighting Mankind's Worst Enemy
  • July 01, 1997

Fighting Mankind's Worst Enemy

From the "Great Fire" of 1812 to the present day, Moscow has been plagued by fires that have decimated the city and its cultural heritage. We look at the history of the men fighting Russia's fires.
The End of Russian Animation?
  • January 01, 2011

The End of Russian Animation?

If the artists themselves are to be believed, Russian animation is in its death throes. After barely surviving the turmoil of the Soviet breakup, this beloved art form can no longer count on state support, nor can it embrace advertising, making its future uncertain at best.
The Hedgehog
  • November 01, 2015

The Hedgehog

The news is filled with stories of refugees, migrants and barbed wire, to say nothing of xenophobic laws and sanctions. So when we came across this award-winning comic book tale by a Yekaterinburg-based artist, we had to share it.
Bacon, comics, and fairy tales on ice
  • January 26, 2017

Bacon, comics, and fairy tales on ice

Adapting to life in Russia? Comic books. Craving cuteness? Piglets getting saved from a fire. Not Russian enough for you? Ice swimming. And for good measure, zombies. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

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.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

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.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

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.

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.

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.

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