March 23, 2017

Grab a Guinness for Orthodoxy


Grab a Guinness for Orthodoxy

Reindeers, retweets, and rocketmen

1. It’s not every guardian of a holy lake that has to battle with oil excavators. But Sergei Kechimov, a Khanty reindeer herder and shaman entrusted with protecting Lake Imlor, has spoken out against extraction companies that he says are damaging the ecosystem and his community’s indigenous way of life. The United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is paying a visit to Imlor to assess the situation, but the oil companies – already having attempted to discredit Kechimov – will fight any attempt to staunch the flow of black gold.

theguardian.com

2. The Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom is encouraging its followers to gain and share knowledge about the Russian Embassy – or in other words, become Twitter bots. By joining Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko’s Russian diplomatic online club, members’ accounts will automatically retweet one of Yakovenko’s tweets each week. The “Tweetsquad” has under 500 members, with fully automated bots outnumbering the semi-automated retweeters who have joined the squad.

3. There’s no harsher contrast to a life dreaming of the stars than a tragic demise in a prison cell bathroom. This was the fate of Vladimir Yevdokimov, former executive director of the Russian space agency, Roskosmos, who was being held in pre-trial detention after being arrested on charges of embezzlement in December. A murder investigation has begun, with some suspecting a contract killing ordered by other space industry officials implicated in corruption charges, who feared Yevdokimov might be used as a witness against them.  

In Odder News

  • St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated in Russia on March 30, rather than March 17. But don’t look for leprechauns: Russian Orthodoxy is making it a festival all their own.
rbth.com
  • Bad news for shoes: with economic woes continuing, annual Russian shoe purchases are at 2.5 pairs per person. Perhaps a St. Patty’s Guinness is in higher demand.
  • In a bid to evaluate airline quality, Aeroflot plans to hire “secret passengers.” Presumably, it’s the evaluations that will be secret, unless the passengers are planning on stowing away.

Quote of the Week

"A pint of Guinness has only 198 kilocalories, which is less than orange juice or skim milk. You will understand why I am saying this and how this is related to the decision the Holy Synod made today after a short break.”
—Alexander Volkov, Patriarch Kirill's press secretary Alexander Volkov, in a Facebook post raffling off a cartload of Guinness in preparation for Russia’s St. Patrick’s Day.

Want more where this comes from? Give your inbox the gift of TWERF, our Thursday newsletter on the quirkiest, obscurest, and Russianest of Russian happenings of the week.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955