August 04, 2022

Time to Move?


Time to Move?
Is it, though? A screenshot from the video. Russian Embassy in Spain

The Kremlin recently released an English-language propaganda video explaining why one should move to Russia.

The 52-second video was posted on July 28 by the "Rusia en España" Twitter account, an official mouthpiece of the Russian embassy in Spain. In it, a masculine voice (robotic, unaccented, with a slightly Russian tint) lists out several points of Russian national pride, including "Christianity," "beautiful women," and "ballet," in a style that feels like it could almost be satire.

Indeed, the video has been met with confusion and humor; a handful of edits of the video have already appeared, and some in the West see the video as a provocation, as it intentionally targets Western decadence and "cancel culture."

Its many claims are dubious, to say the least. Anyone who has been to Russia can attest that its "delicious cuisine" is indeed tasty at best but dire at worst. "Cheap taxi and delivery" is an odd point, and Russian dash cam videos provide evidence that maybe you get what you pay for. "Beautiful architecture" applies in some city centers, but not in apartment-block suburbs. One also has to wonder what kinds of "traditional values" are being promoted under a regime that's been arresting dissenters left and right for the last six months.

And as for the boasting of "[an] economy that can withstand thousands of sanctions" ... well, we'll just have to wait and see...

For "world famous literature" the video shows images of Pushkin and Gogol, writers who are largely unknown in the West, but revered in Russia, lending credence that this is a product of the Kremlin.

The video ends with a dubious "Don't Delay... Winter Is Coming," perhaps a reference to the hit American TV show "Game of Thrones," or to the fact that European winter heating has become dependent upon Russian gas.

The more you watch it, the weirder it gets. Surely it's one of the most bizarre responses to the invasion of Ukraine. And it originated from the Russian side, no less.

 

You Might Also Like

Sci-fi Author, Meet Dystopia
  • June 14, 2022

Sci-fi Author, Meet Dystopia

A well-known science fiction author has been placed on the Kremlin's wanted list for protesting the war in Ukraine.
The Toughest Sanction
  • March 07, 2022

The Toughest Sanction

Putin has been stripped of two martial arts honors in response to his invasion of Ukraine.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

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.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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