October 29, 2021

Quote-Unquote Eternal Flame


Quote-Unquote Eternal Flame
Chisinau's Eternal Flame in better times. Wikimedia Commons user Zserghei

Amid technical issues, gas shortages, and high winds, officials in Moldova's capital of Chisinau have decided to make the Kafkaesque (Gogolesque?) decision to turn off the city's eternal flame for the time being.

Last week, the supply of gas to Chisinau's "Eternity" memorial park was officially cut off. The Moldovan Ministry of Defense officials cited low pressure in the pipes and a forecast of windy days as reasons for temporarily shutting down the monument, but ongoing gas tensions with Russia are likely not helping (you know, the typical fare for nations in the midst of frozen conflicts with Russia).

Technically, a piece of the fire has been transferred to the Museum of Military Glory to be nurtured and maintained until the light comes back on. But for now, the site of the eternal flame will have to be empty.

Of course, eternal flames aren't supposed to be extinguished: as the name implies, they should provide a constant gas-powered fire to remember the war dead, usually from the Great Patriotic War. They're also a ubiquitous fixture of many a post-Soviet cityscape and have certainly graced our pages more than once.

You Might Also Like

Eternal Flame

Eternal Flame

Cadets are changing the guard at the eternal flame. Behind the flame there is the oldest cemetery in Krasnodar - Vsesvyatskoye. It was founded in early 1830s.
A Very Russki Cinco de Mayo
  • May 05, 2016

A Very Russki Cinco de Mayo

Or, whatever the Russian version of margaritas, mariachis, and misunderstood military history might involve.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

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.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

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 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...

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.

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.

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.

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