April 30, 2022

Deukrainianization


Deukrainianization
Khrabrovo airport in Kaliningrad, prior to its new paint job. MediaZone

Sandboxes, stadiums, airports, and fences: if it's blue and yellow, it must change. Russian authorities are repainting everything that could be visually associated with Ukraine.

The color changes began back in February, when, on the fourth day of the war, the Kaliningrad Khrabrovo airport changed its website logo from blue and yellow to red and blue. Not long after that, they repainted the logo on the airport's exterior. An airport spokesperson said that the change to the exterior logo was to keep the look cohesive.

A Yekaterinburg shopping center recently followed in Kaliningrad airport's footsteps. The shopping center roof, which was blue and yellow, has recently been removed. According to the center's call center, the paint was chipping anyway, and its removal was part of regular maintenance.

In Yakutsk, a stadium's very Ukrainian-looking seating is being ripped out. The speculation that this is due to its colors is incorrect, or so says the stadium head, who claims that there were only three rows of blue seats and plans to rip them out were created long ago.

It isn't only major businesses that are changing logos and paint jobs. A Pskov resident who traditionally paints her fence yellow and blue every year was forced to change it; sandboxes at a park in a town south of Moscow received complaints and were repainted green; and a woman who works for a translation agency in Yalta was asked to remove her nail polish due to their coloration.

You Might Also Like

Defiant Postage
  • April 27, 2022

Defiant Postage

“It's a symbol of Ukraine, a symbol of our future victory.” – Director of Ukraine's National Post on the new stamp honoring the guards of Snake Island.
Blue and Yellow Lights
  • March 11, 2022

Blue and Yellow Lights

Many famous landmarks across the globe have been illuminated with blue and yellow lights, showing solidarity with Ukraine. 
An NFT to Unite Under
  • March 12, 2022

An NFT to Unite Under

An NFT of the Ukrainian flag raises over $6.7 million for the war against Russia.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
Survival Russian

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.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Driving Down Russia's Spine

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. 
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

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.
The Samovar Murders

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.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
A Taste of Russia

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.

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