November 17, 2020

Mayorless Magadan


Mayorless Magadan
Not a great place to be mayor, apparently. Johannes Rohr, Wikimedia Commons

Politics are crazy the world over. Not even Russia's Far East can escape.

While most localities offer tense races leading up to election day, not so in Magadan: no one applied to run for mayor this year, according to Radio Free Europe.

The consensus seems to be that potential candidates are daunted by the social, fiscal, and economic woes plaguing the region. Thus, no one wants what would probably be a stressful position that would require them to face the ire of a dissatisfied citizenry.

The current mayor, Yuri Grishan, seems to understand. "You need more than just a desire to be mayor to resolve [the region's problems]. And inviting someone from outside the region who doesn't know our city and our region? You'd have to be crazy to accept such an offer."

In the meantime, the city of 92,000 is pushing back its deadline to apply for the position, so if any of our readers are interested... there you go.

Meanwhile, other city governments in the area are finding inventive ways to sate their citizenry.

You Might Also Like

Magadan
  • July 01, 2019

Magadan

On July 14, 2019, Magadan will celebrate the 80th anniversary of its founding. Alas, this date, like so much else in the city’s history, is a lie.
Road of Bones to the Coldest Place in the World
  • March 01, 1997

Road of Bones to the Coldest Place in the World

For the past 28 years, Gary and Monica Westcott have been circling the globe as the Turtle Expedition. In the winter of 1996, they began a 16,000 mile drive across Russia, from Magadan in the East to Karelia in the West. Gary Westcott narrates this first installment in their amazing adventure.
Crossing Kolyma
  • November 01, 2011

Crossing Kolyma

It’s not your average traveler who chooses to traverse remote Kolyma through the depth of a Siberian winter. But then Mikael Strandberg is no average traveler.
The Big Kolyma Streetcar
  • March 01, 1998

The Big Kolyma Streetcar

A documentary account of the harrowing trials faced by women sent to Stalin's gulags.
Kolyma Gold
  • July 01, 2004

Kolyma Gold

Siberia’s gold is one of its greatest riches. But that wealth is buried in one of the least hospitable places on Earth.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

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.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

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.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

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. 

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

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.

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