August 28, 2021

Russia Turns Thirty


Russia Turns Thirty
August Coup at the Russian White House, 1991. Panoramio user David Broad

The dissolution of the Soviet Union was a process, not an event. But if it had been an event, that event – the August Coup – just had its 30th anniversary.

From August 19 to 22, 1991, communist hard-liners tried to wrest control of the collapsing government from Mikhail Gorbachev, who was giving every republic what it wanted until there was nothing left. The hard-liners surrounded the Russian White House, but Boris Yeltsin and his supporters defended it. Three people died and many more were wounded.

The communist coup failed, obviously, and Gorbachev was ousted, establishing the less-communisty Yeltsin as president of a new Russia. Most of the republics declared independence in the weeks and months that followed in what was called a "parade of sovereignties."

Russians are marking the occasion by watching VHS reels of 30 years ago on the news. Seriously, on Russia-1 News – the other Channel 1 – they keep showing video of actual stacks of VHS tapes to talk about the August Coup.

You Might Also Like

Mikhail Gorbachev
  • March 01, 2021

Mikhail Gorbachev

The rises and falls of the esteem in which Russians have held Mikhail Gorbachev over the years have been dizzying.
End of the USSR
  • November 01, 2011

End of the USSR

A ground-eye view of the end of the USSR, which took place 20 years ago this month.
Independence Day
  • January 14, 2009

Independence Day

In most countries, Independence Day conjures up images of grand celebration, fireworks, family get-togethers, parades and so on. These celebrations commemorate the declaration and establishment of sovereignty by a colony or nation occupied and governed by another nation. This is not exactly the case with Russia's Independence Day.
The End of the USSR
  • December 26, 2016

The End of the USSR

Where we take you back in time to the collapse of the Soviet Union, through press and reportage as it unfolded at the time.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

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.

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.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

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...

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.

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.

 
Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

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.

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