June 16, 2022

A Soccer Star Speaks Out


A Soccer Star Speaks Out
Karpova plays for the Russian national team in 2017. Facebook, Nadya Karpova

On June 7, 2022, soccer player Nadya Karpova became the first professional Russian athlete to come out as a lesbian woman. Karpova had already made a name for herself as the only professional Russian athlete to openly and consistently condemn Putin's invasion of Ukraine

Karpova tried to conceal her sexuality as a young player. When she was readying to sign her first professional contract at 18, the owner of the WFC Rossiyanka Russian women's soccer club told Karpova's father that he would protect his "lesbian daughter." She did take the deal. In 2017, Nadya was questioned about her sexuality by Russian media, but told the interviewer that she was not a lesbian.

In 2017, after playing in 24 matches for the Russian national women's soccer team, Karpova moved to Spain to play for Valencia CF. She is currently a forward for RCD Espanyol in Barcelona.

Since moving to Spain, Karpova said she has stopped being afraid to speak openly. She told her mother last year that she was lesbian, but only recently decided to publically discuss her sexuality.

Karpova is also speaking out openly about the Ukraine War. While other Russian athletes remain silent or show support for the Kremlin, Karpova participates in opposition rallies and regularly posts anti-war messages on social media. She has been doing so since the war began.

You Might Also Like

Russia Forever?
  • May 31, 2022

Russia Forever?

A Russian rock musician was filmed helping Russian soldiers replace a Ukrainian road sign with one reading "Russia Forever."
Alphabet Bans
  • May 23, 2022

Alphabet Bans

The Ukrainian government is banning two Latin letters used by Russian invasion forces.
Detained on Victory Day
  • May 17, 2022

Detained on Victory Day

Over 125 citizens were detained during Immortal Regiment processions across Russia.
The
  • March 10, 2022

The "Z" Symbol

Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak faces punishment for flaunting the new "Z" symbol in support of the Russian invasion on Ukraine. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

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.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
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.

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.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

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.

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.

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