June 22, 2025

The Russia-wide Web


The Russia-wide Web
Browsing VK or Odnoklassniki? The Russian Life file

According to a recent report, Russian internet users spend 60% of their time online using domestic social media sites like VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, Rutube, and Telegram. This is a sharp increase over the last few years; in 2022, 70% of internet user time was devoted to foreign sites like TikTok and YouTube.

In addition, Russians are also watching more TV produced domestically. In 2022, 77% of Russians watched Russian-made TV; now, that number is up to 97%.

The data was presented at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an annual business event held in Russia's second city. It is an initiative of the president of Russia.

These shifts undoubtedly have been brought about by increased international isolation in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since the start of the conflict, the international community has almost completely isolated Russia. In response, Russia has moved to create indigenous products and companies to take the place of companies that have pulled out.

Last week, the Russian Duma approved the creation of a state-run multipurpose messenger app that will would allow for increased phone surveillance.

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Survival Russian
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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.

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This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Bears in the Caviar
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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.

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.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

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Woe From Wit (bilingual)

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The Moscow Eccentric
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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.

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