May 25, 2023

Georgians: "Stop The Wedding!"


Georgians: "Stop The Wedding!"
Police outside Kvareli Lake Resort in Georgia. NEWSGEORGIA / Новости-Грузия, Telegram.

On May 19, Yekaterina, daughter of Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, and her husband, businessman Aleksander Vinokurov, attended a relative's wedding at a resort in Georgia. After finding out on local TV that she was in the country, activists protested outside her hotel. A dozen people were arrested.

Shortly after the local TV station Mtavari TV revealed the Vinokurovs were in Georgia, there was confusion over whether Lavrov's relatives were still at the resort when protesters arrived. Representatives of the luxury Kvareli Lake Resort vehemently denied the couple was ever there. Yet Georgian opposition leader Nika Melia, confirmed that the Vinokurovs had been at Kvareli. Melia expressed outrage that the Russian Foreign Minister's daughter was in the country since "[Lavrov is] the author of the bloodshed that happened [during Russia's invasion of Georgia] in 2008." 

Mtavari TV later reported that, by the time they covered the story, the EU and US-sanctioned couple were no longer in the country and had secretly left for Saudi Arabia.

Irakli Kobakhidze, the chairman of Georgian Dream, the ruling party in the country's parliament, condemned the protests and called them "xenophobic." Meanwhile, the president, Salomé Zurabishvili, who won the presidency as an independent candidate, called the couple's departure and the later cancellation of the wedding "a victory for society."

 

 

You Might Also Like

Flagpole Ripper
  • April 13, 2023

Flagpole Ripper

A man was arrested for tearing down a Russian flag at a police department.
A Sanctioned Flight
  • April 10, 2023

A Sanctioned Flight

Journalists discovered a scheme in which a Russian entrepreneur bought planes in the EU, bypassing sanctions.
Dubai is the New Vologda
  • January 17, 2023

Dubai is the New Vologda

A United Russia legislator pretended to be in Vologda but was actually in Dubai. A picture with Ksenia Shoigu gave him away.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
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.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

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.

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