January 30, 2012

Election Journal: Moscow's White Ring


Election Journal: Moscow's White Ring

The greatest pleasure in recent weeks was yesterday’s “White Ring” auto rally, when cars drove around Moscow’s Garden Ring festooned with white ribbons. The white ribbon has become the symbol of people’s disagreement with the results of the December Duma elections.

On a Sunday at two o’clock, Moscow’s Garden Ring usually has very few cars. But yesterday, when the cars “closed the ring,” the traffic was estimated at 6 points on our side [on the ten-point traffic rating scale], and just 1 in the opposite direction.

At first, I thought I might tie white towels to my car, but then hesitated, thinking that would be too much, so I simply applied small white ribbons. Arriving at the Ring, I immediately understood I had made a mistake. Cars parading along the ring had been transformed into works of art: some were completely wrapped in toilet paper, others were covered with fake snow, and still others had white sheets tied to their door handles.

Several times I was passed by a huge black Jeep on which was written, in big white letters, “StateDept.” I caught up to it and tried to ask for the allowance which, if one is to believe our prime minister, Hilary Clinton was giving out to all protesters. They didn’t give me any money – Hilary, where is our money?

In two hours, I circumnavigated the Ring twice. It’s been a long time since I experienced so many positive emotions.

[Photo: m-a-r-g-0.livejournal.com]

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

Some of our Books

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...

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, 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