December 06, 2022

Yandexit


Yandexit
Yandex HQ, in brighter times. The Russian Life files.

On November 25, Yandex announced that it would be undergoing a major restructuring that would effectively lead to its exit from Russia.

Since 2019, the Russian government has been increasing its control over Yandex, placing it under the influence of the state-owned Sberbank. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February and censorship tightened, Yandex came under further fire from the state.

The November 25 announcement revealed that much of Yandex's functions would be subsumed by a new company and led by a new head who is close to Putin. Meanwhile, its holding company, based in the Netherlands, would effectively be elbowed out. Yandex's founder has been living in Israel since the conflict in Ukraine began.

Yandex has for decades been Russia's premier web company, with services ranging from web search and food delivery, to shopping and translation. But perhaps, given the chilly climate for information flow in Russia these days, this kind of shift was inevitable.

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Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

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June 20, 2017

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A Taste of Russia
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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.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

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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.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
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