August 03, 2017

Paratroopers, Pig Manure, & Plant Killers


Paratroopers, Pig Manure, & Plant Killers
Biofuel and Black Eyes

1. Nothing smells like success like home-brewed alcohol and pig manure. At least, that’s what a pair of Russian pranksters managed to pull over on U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry. Posing as Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, the pair engaged Perry in a 22-minuteconversation about energy security in Ukraine, particularly impressing Perry with reports of a  newly invented biofuel with a pig manure base. It’s not the first time these particular pranksters have caused a stink: it’s the same pair that posed as President Vladimir Putin calling Elton John.

2. August 2nd marks Paratroopers Day in Russia and surrounding countries. The day is meant to honor Russia’s airborne forces on the anniversary of their first parachute jump in 1930. These days, most paratroopers celebrate by jumping into fountains, making merry in public parks, and occasionally starting fights. It’s certainly not the most peaceful holiday: one Moscow newscaster found himself with a black eye after a passerby (apparently not a paratrooper) took the holiday into his own hands – and onto the newscaster’s face. Now that’s live television.

3. The Kremlin has announced the winners of presidential grants, which help fund NGOs across Russia addressing issues such as public health, youth projects, and civil society. The biggest surprise was three awards to organizations labeled “foreign agents,” so called because they receive foreign funding and pursue political activity. The other surprise was that the pro-Kremlin biker group the Night Wolves did not receive a grant for the first time in five years. Instead of their proposed “patriotic projects,” they’ll have to just howl at the moon.

In Odder News
  • Murderous mushrooms, evil mosquitos, and plants that can make you blind. Just a few little things to be cautious of in the Russian wilderness.

  • If you get stuck in an elevator in Russia, you won’t be left hanging for long. A new rule requires elevator repairs to take place within 24 hours, and rescues of stuck folk within 30 minutes. If you do get stuck, plan your time accordingly.
  • The time known as the Great Terror started on July 30, 1937 and involved 1.7 million arrests, hundreds of thousands of executions, and a society-wide sense of fear. Learn more about this dark period of Russian history.
Quote of the Week

“I look forward to visiting with the president and getting a more in-depth briefing…If that’s the result, then he’s going to be a very, very wealthy and successful man.”
—U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry on the ultimately false  report that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had developed a new biofuel using pig manure and home-brewed alcohol.

Want more where this comes from? Give your inbox the gift of TWERF, our Thursday newsletter on the quirkiest, obscurest, and Russianest of Russian happenings of the week.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Murder and the Muse

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

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.
The Samovar Murders

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.
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.
Russia Rules

Russia 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.
The Moscow Eccentric

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 Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Fearful Majesty

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.
At the Circus

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.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

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