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Two Russian-born athletes adopted by Americans make a triumphant showing in the land of their birth.

On the roller coaster biography of one of Russia's most famous composers.

Unraveling the mysteries of an intricately baroque church just outside Moscow takes us back to the time of Peter the Great.

On the forging of a unanimous electorate.

Some thoughts on where we are going.

Sixty-five years ago the Berlin Blockade ended. Here's how it all unfurled.

A look at Ukrainian that Russians should and should not know.

A look at the narrowing choices of Russia media.

Peace! Land! Bread! This was the battle cry of the 1917 October Revolution (old calendar) that changed the history of Russia and indeed the entire world. Since the time of Ivan the Terrible, the tsars concentrated on centralization of their power and control. The most common way of doing this was to take power away from the nobility, appeasing them by giving them dominion over their land and workers. This soon developed into the oppressive, slave-style condition known as serfdom.

Today is Vladimir Nabokov's birthday, so we asked Russian Life contributor and Nabokov expert Diana Bruk where to start when reading the master. She offers with five annotated recommendations.

Once, a group of factory workers decided to work without pay for the war effort. Somehow their voluntary sacrifice became the entire Soviet Union's mandatory labor - all "for the greater good."