September 26, 2019

Save Russia by Air, Land and Sea!


Save Russia by Air, Land and Sea!
Now “I am the Walrus” sounds like a veiled Cold War era threat…  Leonid Kruglov | Russian Geographical Society 

Quote of the week

“Yo Gai-gui, save Russia!”

– A push notification sent to users of Moscow metro free wifi. Who sent it? Unknown. Who is Gai-gui? Unknown – maybe something in a southern Russian dialect for a boisterous holiday – but now it is temporary promocode to get ad-free wifi on the metro. 

 

Gotta Walk the Walk (on Thin Ice)

1. NATO, you taking notes? A female walrus attacked and sunk a Russian naval vessel. She was enjoying life on a Far North nature sanctuary with her young calf when she was disturbed by an expedition retracing the path of nineteenth century explorers. Probably fearing for her baby’s life, she attacked a rubber blow-up landing craft (not the main vessel) and successfully caused it to sink, while the crew made a quick escape to safety. No walruses were harmed in the making of this story. 

Caption: Now “I am the Walrus” sounds like a veiled Cold War era threat… / Leonid Kruglov | Russian Geographical Society 

2. Siberian shamans keep trying to exorcise Putin from Russia. In March a shaman from Yakutia set off on foot to Moscow – a two year journey – to banish the “evil spirit” Putin from the Kremlin, and was recently detained in Buryatia on charges of religious extremism. He was joined by a few dozen followers, whom he recommended pause the journey as he goes through the apparently perfectly pleasant and fair legal process. They refused, and continue to march on Moscow with a new shaman leader, seemingly in good spirits. 


The original shaman and his followers camp for the day near Lake Baikal shortly before he was detained. / Aleksandr Gabyshev Shaman | Youtube

3. Russia has officially ratified the Paris Climate Agreement three years after signing it. The announcement coincided with the UN summit on climate change on September 23. According to Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Gordeyev, Russia will adopt laws with concrete measures to reduce emissions above and beyond the Paris Climate Agreement by the end of the year. The country might be a little hot and cold on fighting climate change – on the plus side, new Arctic sea passage; on the downside, fires in Siberia – but with this ratification and promises of further legal action, it seems that Russia has definitively warmed on the idea. 

 

In Odder News

Horse trying to board bus in Russia
Get off your high horse, Voronezh (and bus driver, for refusing an unconventional passenger). Dima Bredov | Vkontakte 
  • You might be now allowed to take your pets on the Moscow metro for free, but please, hold your horses. An unaccompanied horse tried (unsuccessfully) to board a bus in St. Petersburg. 
  • Putin ate bread with sweetened condensed milk. Yes, that was a headline
  • In a shocking upset, St. Petersburg is only the second most arrogant city in Russia. The top place actually goes to Voronezh. (Moscow is in a pitiful 7th place!) 
     

Want more where this comes from? Give your inbox the gift of TWERF, our Thursday newsletter on the quirkiest, obscurest, and Russianest of Russian happenings of the week.

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.

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.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

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.

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.

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.

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