Culture & Customs

The Russian military has assured local governments that they don't need to worry about canceling New Years' festivities because of the mobilization and conflict in Ukraine.

Our correspondent was offered a business trip to Odesa, Ukraine. He took it and brought this back.

Conviction of a journalist, regional dissent, and voices raised against the war.

When circumstances force you to leave the country, what do you do with your beloved pets?

A mother in a remote village grapples with past, present, and future losses to war.

We are all daily shaken and unsettled by the fire hose of bad news from Russia and Ukraine, and we all would love “something good, loving, and light from Russia to counterbalance the darkness, the senseless brutality, and the horrors perpetrated by Russian hands in Ukraine.”

Maria Yudina was a profoundly gifted pianist and teacher. And there is a certain lingering myth about her...

How is the Russian economy fairing during the war, and what can we expect in the months ahead?

Tensions continue to rise in Russia after the start of mobilization, leading to more extreme acts of disruption.

New research reveals that Russians buy tea 45% more often than coffee.

"Honestly, they will all die there."

– Kirill, a Russian soldier who has fought in Ukraine
offers a grim prognosis of what awaits the new mobilized recruits.

A regional beauty pageant winner is under investigation by Russian police after singing a patriotic Ukrainian song (on the internet).