Russian Language and Literature

These translations may not always be accurate linguistically, but we tried to pick the most peculiar ones.

Even in the country of the ‘builders of communism’, women paid attention to clothing fashion trends, did their best to look after themselves and often imitated movie stars and celebrities.

Any socialite living in imperial Russia knew a lot about the varieties and meanings of flowers. Men did not lag behind women in this matter. All this was necessary for secret, coded communication.

It's not only houses and libraries, but also two different vodkas. Yes, you read that correctly!

From ‘stalinka’ and ‘khrushchyovka’ to the “improved designs” of Brezhnev’s times: How did the construction of the country change depending on who was in charge.

In fact, the Third Reich was eager to divide it with its European and Asian allies.

The U.S. and Britain sent the USSR a great variety of equipment during World War II. Most of all, however, the Red Army was grateful to them for Studebaker trucks and Willys army utility vehicles.

By the end of the 18th century, the popular culture of personal visits in Russia had reached the point of absurdity – even formal visits to relatives and friends could take up to several days. Visiting cards came to the rescue to save time and effort.

If we are to believe one theory, its origin lies very near to the Moscow Kremlin.

A legendary trading city, an ancient Greek capital, a harsh place of exile, a city submerged under water, and a medieval city destroyed by the Mongols – all these places shared the same fate, literally disappearing or wiped off the face of the earth as major historical events unfolded.

During his revolutionary youth, the future Soviet leader was imprisoned many times. And almost always escaped from it.

In October 1917, the Bolsheviks almost bloodlessly took power in Petrograd. But fierce resistance awaited them in Moscow, where the first battle of the Civil War took place.

Alexander Zass became famous for his special exercise technique, which dramatically increased strength and stamina. Surprisingly, he developed it as a captive, sitting chained in a cramped prison cell.

The destruction was stopped literally at the last minute.

September 16 marks the anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo Field. We reveal five important historical facts about this battle, confirmed by historical sources.

The ‘friendship of peoples’ was one of the supports upon which the multinational Soviet Union rested. Unity and equality were embedded into this phrase, as well as cooperation and mutual help, goodwill and common interests, collaborative work, the freedom and independence of all peoples of the USSR. All together they made up the monolithic Soviet people.

Old Sarai and New Sarai were the names of these two cities. Both were located on the bank of the Akhtuba River in the present-day Volgograd and Astrakhan regions. What is in their place now?

Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya became the first female recipient of the Hero of the Soviet Union gold star medal for her actions in World War II. Mountains and stars were named in her honor, while poems and operas were dedicated to her. Why?

This legendary military commander survived through the Civil War and two world wars. But, most of all, he loved horses and dreamed of having his own horse breeding farm.

The famous American motorcycle was not only the most widely used motorbike in the Red Army, but also the favorite of Soviet soldiers.

Why did the pioneer tie often deteriorate and when could it be deliberately defaced? We remind those who did not catch the era of Soviet pioneers.

Lyudmila Pavlichenko fought two wars: On the front, she eliminated Nazis with sniper fire, and then, she fought for the opening of a second front by Western Allies at receptions in the U.S.

The most famous Russian wrestler, who quite literally broke his opponents, found himself broken by the Soviet system.

The USSR refused to acknowledge the involvement of its planes in the raid on the city, even if unintentional.

Erich Hartmann was a real nightmare for the Red Army Air Force.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the English actively strove to infiltrate Siberia. The Tsardom of Russia radically put a stop to it. But, it had to pay for it with the loss of the merchant city Mangazeya, abandoning an important sea trade route through the northern seas for a long time.

Baroness Wrangel could not escape from “these beasts” abroad for a long time.

There are only a few buildings left in Russia that date back to the 12th-13th centuries – and they’re relatively small churches and temples. While, in Europe, giant stone structures like the Burg Eltz or Alcazar were already built in the 8th-9th centuries. There are three concrete reasons for this.

He stole from ‘Heroes of the Soviet Union’ and earned money by cheating and swindling. During his decades-long criminal career, he was tried 13 times and his sentences totaled 93 years. Yet, he lived in luxury and was given an apartment in the center of Moscow by the USSR’s most influential officials. This is the story of Vanka Khitry (Khitry translates as “Cunning”)- the most skillful swindler of his time.

There is a certain reason so few Russian people of the tsarist era were born in November and December.