Russian Orthodox Christmas has come and gone, leaving us with all sorts of holiday lunacy. 

We look back and some of our, and your, favorite stories from The Weekly Russia File during 2018.

Shed a tear for our last World Cup TWERF, in which we finally learn about the Romanovs and feel the wrath of nature.

What’s out of this world? Russia’s performance in the World Cup, a Russian cargo ship, and showers in Samara!

As Americans celebrate their Independence Day, Russia may have gained a new national holiday as well: the day they beat Spain in the World Cup.

A short look at one very avid football (soccer) fan, who rode his bike all the way from Egypt to Russia for the World Cup.

This week Russia lost but isn’t out yet; football fans, amazingly, spread cheer across Russia; and a storm reminds us of the world outside.

Russia wins its first two World Cup games and Jeff Monson is running for CIty Council in Krasnogorsk. Does life get better than this?

Things worth knowing on the travel front.

The new Luzhniki, the stadium in Moscow where the opening and final matches of this summer’s World Cup football (soccer) championships will be held, hosted its first match: a friendly game between Russia and Argentina.

Some gifted young athletes are excelling at the world’s favorite sport – football (aka soccer) – which is amazing given that they are all legally blind.

Two superbly captured athletic moments for two Russian athletes at the Rio games.