Yury Gagarin’s 108-minute space flight on April 12, 1961, propelled him to a level of celebrity never before known to any Soviet. His smiling face graced postal stamps, Palekh souvenir boxes, and fine porcelain, as he mingled with the beau monde of planet Earth.

In 1891, Russian Tsar Alexander III signed a document initiating the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. And not only is it the longest railway in the world; it's got some interesting stops along the line, too.

We're seeing a growth spurt in literature for kids and teens set in Russia. That means magic, time travel, and Stalinism all rolled up in one.

What does it look like when a whole town empties out and there’s nothing but a few decaying buildings to prove anyone lived there at all?

The Great Lent is forty days when the Church is involved in repentance, fasting, prayer and almsgiving.

It has been a year since Boris Nemtsov was shot as he walked along a bridge near the Kremlin, yet Russians continue to gather at his assassination site.

This week, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill met in Havana. Why was this such a big deal?

The destruction of 97 kiosks around Moscow opens up the controversies of architectural preservation, the plight of small businesses, and the rebuilding of history itself. 

In honor of Evgeny Zamyatin's birthday, here are eight Russian sci-fi novels that reveal something about Russia and the world beyond.

Join with us in a celebration of 13 inspired displays of Putinalia (not as nasty as it sounds) that Russia has gifted to the world.

Under Stalin, a poem could mean life or death. For many poets, it was a one-way ticket to the Gulag. Today, poems can be a means to face cultural memories of arrests in the night, forced labor, and the silence demanded of people fearing those fates. 

Are you sure you know how to appease the Fire Monkey and get your New Year off to a good start? We have tips! Learn how to decorate your house, what food to serve, and what to wear to ensure good luck in 2016.