Covid’s got a sun sign, and Russian television personality and astrologer Vasilisa Volodina is out to break the virus some bad news.

“Video surveillance – it is not idle curiosity, for lying on the couch to watch some kind of movie. There are theaters and television for that, but this [observance of elections] is major work. If you want [to observe elections], if you are interested, an active citizen, then you’re going to need to work a bit for it.”

– Ella Pamfilova, head of Russia’s Central Election Committee, on election monitoring.

The legend of Russia's heroic defender passed into Stalinist myth with some help from one of the 20th century's most famous filmmakers.

A poetic song about optimism is this issue's language study section.

While manufacturers generally don't recommend you fly your drone at temperatures below freezing, that didn't stop videographer Vadim Sherbakov from shooting this amazing film depicting a frozen Lake Baikal. 

Alien or art? Scary sculptures are invading Kurgan. 

In this week's Odder News, visit Dracula's castle, Moscow's hidden subway stations, and the Russian cosmos.

The ultimate St. Petersburg film is coming to a Netflix account near you.

In Moscow, a Golden Retriever stole the show during a news broadcast — by stealing the microphone. 

If you’re a fan of hairy fairy folk with a hint of пошлость (crass banality), look no further! Russia’s Channel Five recently published two episodes of a supposedly “lost” television show based on “The Lord of the Rings” that was filmed in 1991.

Singer, activist, and Eurovision prospect Manizha uses her art to both mock and baffle her critics. 

Andrey Borodulin made a video to go with the story in our March/April issue on Polar Youth.