August 23, 2026

An Explosive Start to the School Year


An Explosive Start to the School Year
A safe spot. Usually. The Russian Life files

Four teachers in the Moscow region were injured following the unintended explosion of a stun grenade in their school, reports independent outlet Govorit Nemoskva.

At the time of the incident on August 18, the school was participating in nationwide counter-terrorism training in preparation for September 1's start of the school year. At one point during the training, a primed stun grenade was thrown through a window and landed on a desk. The subsequent explosion gave all four teachers eye injuries and abrasions, sending them to the hospital.

At the same time, Monchegorsk, in Murmansk Oblast, is preparing for the fall as well: authorities are conducting drills with firearms, drones and other weapons. Reportedly, residents were only warned the morning before the exercise in a message telling them not to worry if they saw drones or heard gunshots or explosions.

 

 

You Might Also Like

Mobilization Rumors Spread
  • August 07, 2026

Mobilization Rumors Spread

Rumors swirl about a potential new Russian mobilization, but the Kremlin's flat denials don't mean much.
Where the Drones Are
  • July 06, 2026

Where the Drones Are

A new live-updated map shows the scope of Ukraine's retaliatory drone strikes against Russia.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

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.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

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.

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.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, 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