Florence, Italy, is joining in on the Dostoyevsky anniversary fun.

In this week's Odder News, next year will be better, St. Petersburg's mayor should move to Africa, and bunkers are hip.

The world's youngest female pilot to circumnavigate the globe recently stopped in Russia's Far East.

In this week's Odder News, gigolos must be stopped in Russia, Yappy might take over TikTok, and "Timothée Chalamet" promotes Russian pastries.

"Any region [of the Russian Federation], a Russian citizen, a Russian person – these are our people. We have never split. Can we help with something in agriculture – please. We will give the last grain, super-elite [grain], so all is well."

–  From the website of Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, on December 2.

"I knew Hafez Assad, I knew Saddam Hussein, I knew Muammar Gaddafi. We had very good and close relationships with them. We met with them. I'll tell you, the greatest thinkers!”

– President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko name drops on November 10.

"Sometimes there is a desire to remain silent about something, to not have a falling out, but this is the wrong strategy. Conversations, conversations, and more conversations. Find out from the get-go who cannot put up with what, for whom some moments are unacceptable, what responsibilities and rights you will have, and so on.”

– Russian Psychologist Kristina Yakubova, giving advice for couples in their first year of marriage that might do any (ahem) conflicted pair some good.

Russia and Ukraine have a long history of disputes over beloved territory, to say the least… But this time, it’s Gogol.

In this issue's language page, we look at the influence that Italian has had on the Russian language.

Dmitry Muratov, the longtime editor in chief of the opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta received the Nobel Peace Prize, sharing the award with Philipina journalist Maria Ressa.

Due to a gas shortage, one former Soviet city has been forced to shut off a war memorial: an "eternal" flame that was never supposed to stop burning.

How has Russia changed since the last time you were there, pre-pandemic?