February 02, 2022

Sniper Cover to Honor the Fallen


Sniper Cover to Honor the Fallen
Keep those pesky citizens out! Aleksandr Demyanchuk / TASS

On January 27th, Vladimir Putin visited the Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery in honor of the 78th anniversary of the Siege of Leningrad. But there was a big problem: other people wanted to pay their respects, too. Fortunately for Putin, he was able to simply close the cemetery for all other visitors and set up snipers to protect him from the imminent threat posed by the elderly.

Among the visitors who were not allowed to enter the cemetery was an 89-year-old local woman who survived the blockade.

During his stroll, Putin placed a wreath at the feet of the "Mother Russia" statue and left flowers at the grave of his older brother, who died during the siege.

As calming as ever, Putin's PR manager Dmitry Peskov said that the memorial was closed for a mere 10 minutes while Putin did his business. However, the memorial was unofficially closed for several hours.

It just goes to show that Putin is not much of a people-person. (We guess he would rather spend time with his dogs!)

You Might Also Like

Nepotism Takes to the Ice
  • January 17, 2022

Nepotism Takes to the Ice

The son of one of Putin's buddies was recently named the head of a professional hockey team, with no previous experience.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

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 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.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

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.

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