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Main chat: https://t.me/+tM-XKGpzJMcxODAy

Learn Russian chat: @gatewaytorussia

Questions or suggestions: @pulya

We are the world’s largest community of people interested in Russia - be it culture, travel, history, learning the language and so much more

Russia Beyond (English)

Welcome to Russia Beyond, the ultimate destination for anyone with a passion for all things Russian! Our Telegram channel, @russiabeyond, is the perfect place for you to immerse yourself in the rich culture, history, and language of Russia. Whether you're a seasoned traveler looking for insider tips, a language enthusiast eager to learn Russian, or simply someone fascinated by Russian art and literature, we've got you covered. Join our community of like-minded individuals and engage in discussions, share experiences, and connect with fellow Russia enthusiasts from around the world. Our channel is not just a platform for information sharing, but a vibrant community where you can make new friends and expand your knowledge about Russia in a fun and interactive way. Stay updated on the latest news, events, and trends in Russia, and discover hidden gems that will make your Russian journey even more exciting. Have questions or suggestions? Feel free to reach out to our dedicated admin @pulya. Russia Beyond is more than just a Telegram channel - it's a gateway to a world full of wonders waiting to be explored. Join us today and embark on a fascinating journey into the heart of Russia!

Gateway to Russia

10 Jan, 13:26

Grace on Ice: When Age is No Barrier to Skill. Confident movements and elegance honed over the years

Video by: vk.com/charityshoprussia

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

10 Jan, 11:34

Check out these views of Teriberka in Murmansk region!

🔔 Gateway of Russia
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Gateway to Russia

10 Jan, 07:47

Nick continues taking lessons from me! :)

This time we tried to pronounce a popular tongue twister which trains K and P sounds.
I think, he did it great!

🤨Did YOU manage to pronounce the tongue twister?

P.S. it wasn’t easy even for me, a native speaker, to pronounce it!

P.S. Catch more of my lessons on TikTok!

#russianclasses

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

09 Jan, 13:01

What does the expression “to bring out the Babylons” mean?

The phrase “ничего себе, какие Вавилоны выводит” (“nichego sebe, kakie Vavilony vyvodit”) or “wow, what Babylons he brings out” is most likely addressed to a drunk person. This is said about a tipsy person, who is heading somewhere with an unsteady, staggering gait.

The “patterns” they draw with their feet, make observers make such an ironic remark. The expression also has another meaning. For example, in Vladimir Dahl’s explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, “to bring out the Babylons” means to write unevenly, with “dancing” lines.
This comparison began to be used in cases when they wanted to talk about something confusing. For example, winding, looping roads or rivers were called ‘Babylonish’.
An English equivalent would be: “To make a Virginia fence.”

Credit: Kira Lisitskaya

#russianexpression

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

09 Jan, 11:05

Did you know that Russia has more than 100 active volcanoes?

Video by: https://путешественникдв.рф

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

09 Jan, 07:26

Soft Ice: Light Blue and White on the Lids. Makeup inspired by winter landscapes, focusing on light, frosty shades

Video by: instagram.com/prokopenko_stylist

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

08 Jan, 13:29

Perestroika changed the USSR completely and brought absolutely new way of life. And brand new characters take center stage in the movie - prostitutes who target foreigners. Though all of them dream of a better life and, of course, of a true and pure love.

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

08 Jan, 12:02

No Brakes, No Fear / 2019
#Finland

In ice speedway, motorcyclists race around a track on bikes with no brakes on frozen surfaces. The documentary tags along two racers as they gear up for the European Individual Ice Speedway Championship. Spiked tires, dramatic clashes and intense rivalry - riders prove why their sport is the coolest.

🌍 No Brakes, No Fear on rt.doc
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Gateway to Russia

08 Jan, 11:01

How many Russian words starting with 'Ts' do you know?

#russianalphabet

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

08 Jan, 09:47

Let’s cook a famous Russian salad! And no, we don't mean Olivier :)
I’m talking about ‘Herring Under a Fur Coat’ - ‘селёдка под шубой’.

Click here for a more detailed recipe.

❓Ever tried this salad? Send us pics of your creations if you decide to give the recipe a shot!

📸: Yulia Mulino

#russianclasses

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

08 Jan, 06:25

Incredible snowy Belogorsky Monastery in Perm

Video by: t.me/parmatime

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

07 Jan, 17:00

Our Lady of Vladimir, Our Lady of Kazan, Our Lady of Theodore… Russian iconography has dozens of its own venerated images of the Mother of God. Their history is associated with many miracles.

Many Russian Orthodox Church holidays are dedicated to them and believers still treat them with special reverence.

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

07 Jan, 15:25

Snow is no obstacle for the residents of Sochi…! 🌴❄️🍸

Video by: t.me/chokolatellaa

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

07 Jan, 13:27

Are you into young adult literature? Then you should definitely try Tolstoy's autobiographical trilogy. An incredible sincere and very psychological piece about growing up and maturation of the greatest Russian author.

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

07 Jan, 12:46

#wordoftheweek

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

07 Jan, 07:24

Manul kittens from Novosibirsk Zoo enjoying the start of winter!

Video by: https://vk.com/id447839222

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

07 Jan, 07:01

Reutov in 3 Russian words

This satellite city of Moscow was once a major center of the textile industry. Nowadays, it is a science city with high scientific and technical potential. Here are three of its main symbols.

1⃣ ЮРИЙ БОРИСОВ (Yuri Borisov)

One of Russia’s most talented actors was born in Reutov on December 8, 1992. At the end of 2024, he was nominated for an American Golden Globe Award for his role in the movie ‘Anora’.

2⃣ НПО МАШИНОСТРОЕНИЯ (NPO Mashinostroyeniya)

The Scientific and Production Association (NPO) of Mechanical Engineering has been operating in Reutov since 1944. Among its developments: cruise and intercontinental ballistic missiles, missile systems, as well as various space systems and devices.

3⃣ КОЛОКОЛ (BELL)

There is a legend that Reutov got its name from the ‘Reut’ bell , whichб with its ringing, warned of the enemy approaching Moscow. The bell was placed on the city’s coat of arms and, in 2005, a monument to it was erected there.

#russiancities

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Gateway to Russia

06 Jan, 13:27

This giant epic novel is often attributed no less than 'War and Peace' of the 20th century. It tells us about the Cossack life on the backdrop of Russia’s most turbulent times – the Revolution and the Civil War, which broke the old world’s order.

Hesitating between the Reds and then the Whites, the main character struggles finding which side is right.

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

06 Jan, 12:01

☃️Today we're covering winter clothing vocab - make sure to pay attention, I'll be making a quiz soonl!

❓How cold is winter in your country? Do you require any of this clothing?

📷: Legion Media; EyeEm, triocean, Vasilina Popova, Eugene4873, vvvita

#russianclasses

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

06 Jan, 07:28

Meet solyanka: Russian essential hangover soup

Russians are still celebrating the New Year's... Yes, they have holidays and days off up until January 8.
So after finishing up their mayonaisy New Year salads, Russians crave something fatty and salty... and a lot of liquid. So hot soup if a perfect thing.
Borsch takes too much time to cook, while solyanka is your choice.

This soup has an unusual sour-salty taste - it’s all about the pickles, olives, lemon and, sometimes, kvass that are added to it.
You can actually make solyanka with fish or mushrooms, but a meat one is the most popular. And you can add any type of meat, sausages and smoked ham.

During the Soviet era, solyanka was even sold as instant soup in cans. Now solyanka is served nearly everywhere in Russia, ranging from student canteens to high-end restaurants.

📷 Legion media

#russiankitchen

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

05 Jan, 14:24

Heart of a Soap Bubble: Lightness and Tenderness. An incredible blend of beauty and fragility

Video by: instagram.com/olchatyu

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

05 Jan, 13:16

Fans of 'Mad Max' and the 'Star Wars' will be intrigued by this Soviet steampunk movie: two random Soviet citizen find themselves in another galaxy, where they meet aliens who happen to have a spaceship. But how to return home? That's the challenge they have to handle.

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

05 Jan, 09:25

Did you know that Dostoevsky wrote not only heartbreaking novels, but also almost vaudeville-like stories?
We’ve handpicked some Russian literary classics that will make you cry – from laughter!

🤓 Russia Beyond
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Gateway to Russia

04 Jan, 16:31

Top 5 Russian women in sports!

⛓️ Watch more on YouTube
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Gateway to Russia

04 Jan, 14:25

Russian songs translated: ‘Valenki’ (‘Валенки’)

This is a folk song about Russian winter boots that will make you want to dance the ‘khorovod’!

🎵 LISTEN

‘Валенки’ – ‘Valenki’

Валенки да валенки, ой, да не подшиты, стареньки.
Нельзя валенки носить, не в чем к милому ходить.

Valenki, yes valenki, oh, they are unstitched, old.
I can’t wear valenki, nothing to put on to go to my dear.


Припев (Chorus)
Валенки, валенки, эх, не подшиты, стареньки,
‎Валенки, валенки, эх, да не подшиты, стареньки.

Valenki, valenki, oh, they are unstitched, old.
Valenki, valenki, oh, they are unstitched, old.

Ой ты, Коля, Николай, сиди дома, дома, не гуляй.
Не ходи на тот конец, ох, не носи девкам колец.

Hey you, Kolya, Nikolai, sit at home, don’t go out.
Don’t go to the other side, oh, don’t carry rings to girls.


Припев (Chorus)
Валенки, валенки, эх, не подшиты, стареньки,
‎Валенки, валенки, эх, да не подшиты, стареньки.

Valenki, valenki, oh, they are unstitched, old.
Valenki, valenki, oh, they are unstitched, old.

Чем подарочки носить, ой, да лучше валенки подшить.
Чем подарочки носить, лучше валенки подшить.

Better stitch valenki, than to carry gifts.
Better stitch valenki, oh, than to carry gifts.

Припев (Chorus)
Валенки, валенки, эх, не подшиты, стареньки,
‎Валенки, валенки, эх, да не подшиты, стареньки.

Valenki, valenki, oh, they are unstitched, old.
Valenki, valenki, oh, they are unstitched, old.

Суди, люди, суди, Бог, как же я любила,
По морозу босиком к милому ходила.

Judge, people, judge, God, oh how I loved,
I was walking barefoot in the frost to my dear.

📷 Kira Lisitskaya

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

04 Jan, 11:23

Nenets reindeer herder children enjoying nomad life!

Video by: vk.com/nenets89

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

04 Jan, 09:01

Arnaud Fass is originally from Strasburg, France, but now lives in Tula, Russia. He first came to Russia in 2001 and stayed. He went into business, and then became a professional steam master – he steams Russian bath lovers.

Why he chose Russia and the bath, what surprises the Frenchman in Russia and how his wedding took place in the Russian style!? Read in our material.

🤓 Russia Beyond
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Gateway to Russia

03 Jan, 16:31

Who is the Russian that conquered 14 of the world's highest peaks?

⛓️ Watch more on YouTube!
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Gateway to Russia

03 Jan, 14:01

Comrade Warrant Officer, may I scratch you behind the ear?

This cat must now be addressed according to the regulations: “Comrade Warrant Officer!” Yes, that's right: the tailed one named Tolik from the ‘Semenychi’ special unit has been promoted to the rank of warrant officer of the internal service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Animals from fire stations of different regions of Russia serve in this unit of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In addition to Muscovite Tolik the Cat from the 89th fire station of the capital, it has cats Dymok from Smolensk Region, Ballon from Arkhangelsk Region, Lafet from Kursk Region and Pompa from Volgograd Region.

‘Semenychi’ make sure that there are no rodents in fire stations and go out in the morning to form up together with their human colleagues. And, of course, they always create an atmosphere of home comfort and warmth. By the way, they named the special unit in honor of a cat: Semyon served at a fire station in Tyumen, but, last year, he was sadly hit by a car.

Tolik received the title on the occasion of the ‘Day of the Rescuer’. He was also given tiny epaulettes and promised a uniform.

Credit: Ministry of Emergency Situations

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

03 Jan, 13:01

Xmas & New Year's vibes in Sochi be like... 🎄☀

Video by: t.me/chokolatellaa

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

03 Jan, 11:45

After eating a million holiday dishes, it’s time to get fit. Here are some Russian tips for that!

❔What are yours? Share in the comments!

P.S. Catch more of my lessons on TikTok!

#russianclasses

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

02 Jan, 16:31

5 Russians portrayed as good guys in Hollywood movies 😉

⛓️ Watch more on YouTube!
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Gateway to Russia

02 Jan, 14:54

The best New Year selfies? In the subway, of course!

Not only streets and parks, but even subway stations have been decorated for the New Year in Moscow. The entrances to the vestibules now look like portals into a fairy tale, while underground platforms have been transformed into magical kingdoms.

The arch of the entrance to the ‘Krasnye Vorota’ station shimmers with huge multicolored dragees, which look like they were made at the famous Willy Wonka chocolate factory. Brightly colored gift boxes with bows have appeared at the ‘Semyonovskaya’ subway station. It’s not just a station, but a giant present of some kind! And ‘Krasnopresnenskaya’ has turned into a real palace and literally sparkles with festive illumination.

Gift boxes and Christmas tree baubles have also appeared under the ceiling of the escalator gallery at ‘Vorobyovy Gory’ and arches with toys have been installed at ‘Trubnaya’. You will find Ded Moroz, snowmen, stars and even Christmas trees!

By the way, the main winter wizard, having come from his residence in Veliky Ustyug to the capital, also managed to find the time to step into the capital's subway and congratulate passengers on the upcoming New Year!

Credit: Pelagia Tikhonova/Sputnik; Ramil Sitdikov/Sputnik; Moscow Department of Transportation (https://t.me/DtRoad)

🤓 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

02 Jan, 12:23

Buryats shred the snow in their national costumes!

Video by: t.me/rcnt03

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

02 Jan, 08:02

Why is a verst called ‘Kolomenskaya’?

Before 1918, distances in Russia were measured not in kilometers, but in versts. Incidentally, they differ slightly from each other: one verst is 500 sazhens or 1066.8 meters. Verst posts were installed along roads, so that travelers would know how much further they had to go to their destination. For brevity, they were called ‘versts’.

The road from Moscow, from the Kaluga outpost, to the residence of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye was marked with these very posts. The solid stone pillars were faced with marble and decorated with eagles. They were also distinguished from ordinary versts by their “height” – they were significantly higher than ordinary signs. This is where the expression “верста Коломенская” (“Versta Kolomenskaya”) or “Kolomenskaya verst” came from. Over time, this is how they began to talk about very tall, thin people.

In the novel ‘Peter the Great’ by Alexei Tolstoy even the emperor, who was distinguished by his great height, got it: "He was already going on 15. He was as tall as a Kolomna verst."
By the way, it was under Peter the Great that they began to install verst poles indicating the distance when laying roads. And, under Alexander I, they began to paint them in a slanting stripe, so that they could be seen even in bad weather.

Credit: Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: Public domain; A. Eliseev/Diafilm, 1979); Public domain

#russianexpression

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

01 Jan, 16:31

5 of the best places in Russia for winter sports!

⛓️ Watch more on YouTube!
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Gateway to Russia

26 Dec, 15:05

Glass Bay is in the suburbs of Vladivostok, named for its beach covered with polished glass and porcelain particles. These particles are harmless due to long-term sea polishing.

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

26 Dec, 14:05

Question time!

Do you follow any Russian sports disciplines or teams? How about individual athletes - got any favorite ones, current or retired? Drop them in the comments! ⚽🏒🎾⛸️🥊🏀🏓🏐

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

26 Dec, 12:01

On this day in 1825 the Decembrist rebellion took place in St. Petersburg

On December 1, Emperor Alexander I died. Political uncertainty arose in the country: his brother Konstantin was supposed to inherit the throne, but had secretly refused it several years earlier. The second brother of the deceased tsar - Nicholas, was next in line. And the rebels took advantage of the situation.

The conspiracy involved young noblemen, including guard officers who advocated for radical changes in the political system of the state, including the introduction of a constitution, freedom of the press, the abolition of serfdom, and a number of others. Many of them had fought against Napoleon in Europe and admired its political system and way of life. After the war, they hoped for change at home, but none materialized.

The Decembrists, as they would be known later, then decided to act. They lured some of the guard regiments to their side, convincing them of the need to defend the rights of the "legitimate ruler", Konstantin.

On December 26, the conspirators brought troops to Senate Square in St. Petersburg to prevent the Senate from swearing allegiance to Nicholas. They demanded that it publish a national Manifesto proclaiming the establishment of a temporary revolutionary government. However, they were too late — the meeting had already taken place. The Decembrist leaders were confused, and troops loyal to Nicholas gathered on the square and dispersed the rebels.

After the suppression of the rebellion, its five leaders — Pavel Pestel, Sergei Muravyov-Apostol, Kondraty Ryleyev, Pyotr Kakhovsky, and Mikhail Bestuzhev-Ryumin — were executed. 121 people were stripped of their ranks and nobility, 99 were sentenced to hard labor and exiled to Siberia, while the rest were sent to the Caucasus with the rank of privates. More than 3,000 soldiers of the rebellious regiments faced punishment.

Credit: Hermitage Museum

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

26 Dec, 11:01

What does the expression “orphan of Kazan” mean?

A person who pretends to be unhappy in order to make others pity them is called a “сирота Казанская” (“sirota Kazanskaya”) or “orphan of Kazan”. Where did this expression come from? It's all about… Ivan the Terrible!

According to one version, when Ivan the Terrible's troops conquered Kazan in 1552, many local children were orphaned. They were placed in boyar and peasant families to be raised and sympathetically called “orphans of Kazan”. However, juvenile swindlers immediately took advantage of the situation and began to pass themselves off as orphans.

There is another version also connected with the conquest of the Kazan Khanate. The defeated ‘murzas’ (‘princes’), in the hope of preserving their wealth and getting closer to the royal court, tried to behave as modestly as possible and agreed to accept Orthodoxy. For this, they received the humorous nickname ‘The Orphans of Kazan’.

Credit: Gateway to Russia (Photo: M.V. Petrov-Maslakov; Samara art museum)

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

26 Dec, 09:47

What’s the difference between Ded Moroz & Santa Claus?

The most important character at Christmas in the West is Santa Claus, while Russia has its own kind elderly man with gifts – Ded Moroz (Father Frost).

Both characters are variations of the so-called ‘Christmas gift-bringer’, which exists in the folklore of many countries. Santa Claus, the most common character for Catholic Christians, is derived from St. Nicholas. The Russian Ded Moroz, meanwhile, comes from Slavic fairy-tale folklore.

Let’s find out how they differ from each other.

📷 Natalya Nosova

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

26 Dec, 09:05

There's something haunting about Yakutsk at -50C, with its strong winds and near-zero visibility! Follow us on a small tour of the frozen kingdom.

Video by: https://vk.com/id828182894

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

26 Dec, 07:50

Russian picture dictionary: New Year🎄

Learning a language is always easier when you can visualize the words. Here’s a picture that will help you memorize words devoted to the topic of ‘New Year’s Eve’!

NEW YEAR (НОВЫЙ ГОД)

Шампанское – champagne
Мандарины – tangerines
Конфеты – candy
Красная икра – red caviar
Дети – children/kids
Новогодняя ёлка – New Year’s tree (Russian version of Christmas tree)
Дед Мороз – Grandfather Frost (also known as ‘Father Frost’, Russian Santa Claus)
Звезда – star
Подарки – gifts
Игрушки – toys

📷 Alexandra Koroleva

#russiandictionary

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

25 Dec, 13:31

Why Russia celebrates Christmas in January

The Russian Orthodox Church marks one of the most important Christian holidays not on December 25, but on a different date. Why?
In the Russian Empire, Christmas was originally celebrated on December 25. Before the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, Russia lived by the “old” Julian calendar, while the entire West had already accepted the “new” Gregorian calendar.

All the dates in Russia’s Julian calendar were 13 days behind the Western.

In 1918, Soviet Russia switched to the Gregorian calendar, and, according to the new style, all the dates shifted by 13 days.

As a result, Orthodox Christmas fell on January 7.

📸 Sergei Pyatakov / Sputnik

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

25 Dec, 12:34

How many Russian words starting with 'F' do you know?

#russianalphabet

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

25 Dec, 12:01

Would you travel hundreds of kilometres in freezing temperatures, barely catching any sleep, just to witness something unique? These Russians are willing to endure Arctic conditions just to witness the extraordinary Northern Lights. You can join them on their quest in our film.

Aurora Hunters / 2021
#Russia

🌟 docuplanet x rt.doc

➡️ Watch more documentaries like this on our platform en.rtdoc.tv
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Gateway to Russia

25 Dec, 10:05

🚩🚩🚩

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

25 Dec, 09:02

Unbelievable Russian Cossack whip cracking!

Video by: vk.com/clubkazachiysalut & vk.com/kid__dynamite

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

25 Dec, 08:15

Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating today! 🎄
In Russia, Christmas is on the 7th of January.

I’ve chosen a word for today’s quiz - and it means ‘greeting/congratulation’ 🎉

👇Let’s see how many Russian words you can come up with using it!

#russianclasses

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

25 Dec, 06:58

Grinchmobile' drifting in Novosibirsk. The Soviet car decorated to match the season was noticed in the outskirts of the Siberian megapolis.

Video by: Ruptly

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

24 Dec, 14:05

Take a tour around the Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg! 🧐

Video by: @fabergemuseum

💥 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

24 Dec, 11:02

What the Vologda airport terminal looks like in the SOVIET style

Russia's last typical Soviet airport, built in the late 1970s, recently reopened after reconstruction. And it has been transformed into a quasi retro art space.

The most “tasty” part of the terminal is the buffet with Soviet-era tea sets that look like they were just taken out of grandma’s cupboard. The menu is appropriate: fried pies with potatoes, sandwiches with sprats and ‘Napoleon’ cake. Next door is a stylized soda machine.
You’ve probably seen slot machines in old Soviet photographs. The terminal also had some: ‘Battleship’ and table hockey from those times.
Authentic booths with pay phones, meanwhile, were preserved under the stairs.

The central zone of the terminal is now a small waiting area in the form of a Soviet living room. Two armchairs and a rack with books and suitcases against the background of a carpet. Here you can take an atmospheric photo and watch the airplanes take off and land.

The journey into the past begins in Moscow: 32-seat Soviet Yak-40s fly to Vologda – the Vologda airport can only accept this type. Nowadays, airplanes from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Veliky Ustyug fly there.
However, a new, modern terminal will be built next to this one in 2025. The “Soviet” terminal will become a museum, a public space for events and a movie platform.

📷 Pavel Kuzmichev

💥 Gateway to Russia
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24 Dec, 10:01

Just a winter’s day in a park in downtown Krasnodar! 😍 ❄️

Video by: vk.com/south_notes

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Gateway to Russia

24 Dec, 09:20

#wordoftheweek

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Gateway to Russia

24 Dec, 09:01

This Russian woman pretended to be a man to fight against Napoleon!

‘Cavalry Maiden’ and ‘Russian Amazon’ – these were the names given to Nadezhda Durova, the heroine of the Patriotic War of 1812 against the French.

In her memoirs, Nadezhda admitted that, since childhood, she was more drawn to boyish games than to feminine hobbies and even had “disgust for her sex”: “The saddle was my first cradle; a horse, weapons and regimental music – my first children's toys and amusements.”

Marriage and the birth of a child did not bring her any joy. In 1806, Nadezhda cut off her braids, got hold of a military uniform and joined the army under a male name – she knew how to handle a sabre and ride a horse perfectly.

Durova took part in the war of the Fourth Coalition against the French and was even awarded the St. George Cross and promoted to non-commissioned officer for saving a wounded officer in the Battle of Guttstadt in early June 1807.

However, Durova was soon exposed and was about to be sent home. It was then that the woman asked Emperor Alexander I personally to let her stay in the army, so he met her halfway.

The ‘cavalry maiden’ bravely fought the enemy during the Patriotic War of 1812 and even served as an orderly for Mikhail Kutuzov, commander-in-chief of the Russian army.

The following year, she was dismissed. Durova returned home and devoted herself entirely to literary work.

Credit: Public Domain

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24 Dec, 08:52

Vyborg in 3 Russian words

Vyborg is one of the most colorful cities in Russia. Medieval Swedish buildings stand side by side with houses from the times of the Russian Empire, the Finnish Republic and the Soviet Union. Here are three of its main symbols.

1⃣ ВЫБОРГСКИЙ КРЕНДЕЛЬ (Vyborg krendel)

This popular delicacy has been baked in Vyborg since the 14th century. The local ‘krendel’ (‘pretzel’) has an exquisite taste due to the presence of various spices in it. Russian rulers Peter I and Alexander III were very fond of this delicacy.

2⃣ ВЫБОРГСКИЙ ЗАМОК (Vyborg Castle)

The castle was founded by the Swedes in 1293 and, for a long time, served as their main outpost in the Eastern Baltic. For the Russians, the castle has always been a thorn in the side. Only in 1710, during the Northern War, was it captured by the army of Peter I.

3⃣ ВЫБОРГСКИЕ ДРАККАРЫ (Vyborg Drakkars)

These ships were built specifically for the filming of the Soviet-Norwegian movie ‘Trees Grow on the Stones, Too’, dedicated to the Viking Age. When the movie was completed, the ‘drakkars’ were donated to the city for its active assistance in the filming process.

#russiancities

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

23 Dec, 17:25

To see such a colorful Arctic sky, residents of Norilsk have to drive just a few kilometers out of the city.

Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?

📷 Mikhail Podolyak, Alexander Suslov

🔔 Gateway to Russia
1,247
Gateway to Russia

23 Dec, 15:33

Did you know that rollercoasters originated in Russia? 🤯

⛓️ Watch more interesting facts about Russia on YouTube!
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Gateway to Russia

23 Dec, 14:15

The USSR’s largest SEX scandal 😱

In 1955, the careers of several prominent party figures and officials were ruined because of this incident.
It turned out that several ministers and academicians, including the USSR Minister of Culture Georgy Alexandrov, were involved in… running a brothel! The victims were young actresses and ballerinas who were simply afraid to refuse the courtship of such high ranks.

It is still unknown exactly where the debauchery took place. According to some sources, it was in the countryside house of writer Konstantin Krivoshein, according to another, in his Moscow apartment.
The ‘gang’ was revealed by accident: the mother of one of the girls wrote a letter personally to Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.

Khrushchev became extremely mad and called everyone into his office. He shouted at them for a long time and then asked a member of the Academy of Sciences Alexander Yegolin: “Well, Alexandrov is a young man, I can understand. But, you, at your age, why did you go there?”
According to legend, Yegolin replied: “I did nothing, I just stroked…”
In Russian, ‘to stroke’ translates as ‘гладить’ (‘gladit’), so after that, as a play of words, the scandal was dubbed “The Gladiators' Case”. 😂

All “gladiators” lost their posts and were expelled from Moscow. Alexandrov was sent to the Academy of Sciences in Minsk, while the others were sent to the Urals.

📷 Nikita Khrushchev; Georgy Alexandrov; Alexander Yegolin (c) Bettmann/Getty Images; Archive images

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Gateway to Russia

23 Dec, 13:05

🌲Time to get ready for New Year celebrations!
Let’s take a look at Russian dishes we make every year.

🤨What do you eat during the holidays?

📸: Olga Mazyarkina, elena_hramowa, L_Shtandel, Svetlana-Cherruty, AVAKAphoto/Getty Images; Legion Media

#russianclasses

🔔 Gateway to Russia
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Russia Beyond

30 Nov, 15:35

Check out this gorgeous Scandinavian-style lighthouse on the Oka River near the city of Ryazan!

Video by: instagram.com/yakdm

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

30 Nov, 13:28

Russian songs translated: ‘There is so many golden lights’ (‘Огней так много золотых’)

A lyrical composition sung by a lonely woman who has fallen in love with a married man from the Soviet movie 'It Happened in Penkovo' (1958).

🎵 LISTEN


Огней так много золотых
На улицах Саратова

There are so many golden lights
On the streets of Saratov.

Парней так много холостых
А я люблю женатого

There are so many single guys,
But I love a married man.

Парней так много холостых
А я люблю женатого

There are so many single guys,
But I love a married man.

Эх рано он завел семью
Печальная история

Oh, he started a family too early,
It’s a sad story.

Я от себя любовь таю
А от него тем более

I hide my love from myself,
And from him even more.

Я от него бежать хочу
Лишь только он покажется

I want to run away from him,
As soon as he appears.

А вдруг все то о чем молчу
Само собою скажется

What if everything I keep silent about,
Will come out on its own?

А вдруг все то о чем молчу
Само собою скажется

What if everything I keep silent about,
Will come out on its own?

Его я видеть не должна
Боюсь ему понравиться

I shouldn’t see him,
I am afraid he’ll like me.

С любовью справлюсь я одна
А вместе нам не справиться

I can handle the love alone,
But together, we can’t handle it.

С любовью справлюсь я одна
А вместе нам не справиться

I can handle love alone,
But together we can’t handle it.

#russiansongs

📷 Stanislav Rostotsky/Gorky Film Studio, 1957

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

30 Nov, 07:01

The Amber Room: A treasure from the ‘gold’ of the Baltic Sea

The world-famous Amber Room was a gift to Peter the Great from Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm I.
It arrived in St. Petersburg in 18 boxes, with detailed instructions on how to unpack the priceless amber panels. Governor-General Prince Alexander Menshikov reported to the emperor: “Some small pieces have fallen out, but they can be glued back together and even if there were no others, they can still be put back on. It is true to say that this is the most amazing thing the world has ever seen.”

The amazingly beautiful Amber Room was originally installed in the Winter Palace. But, after a few years, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna ordered it to be moved to her new country residence, Tsarskoye Selo. Architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli added gilded wood carvings, mosaic panels made of agate and jasper and mirror pilasters.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Amber Room was stolen by German troops. They displayed their trophy in the Königsberg Castle. But, during the retreat, it was taken away and the treasure disappeared without a trace.

In 1983, a copy of the Amber Room began to be built. Six tons of Kaliningrad amber were used to recreate it. Twenty-four years later, the public finally got to see it again.

Credit: Tsarskoye Selo state museum

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Russia Beyond

30 Nov, 05:34

A fairy tale Russian wooden house! 😍

Video by: instagram.com/liliya_pr_8

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Russia Beyond

29 Nov, 15:34

Snow fun in Norilsk, one of the northernmost cities in the world

Video by: @Biznoteru

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

29 Nov, 11:01

What does the expression “in the blue eye” mean?

If someone says “на голубом глазу” (“na golubom glazu”) or “in the blue eye”, they are not telling the truth. But, they are not just lying, they are pretending to be naive and inexperienced, like a baby.

There are several versions of the origin of this expression. One of them is related to the blue color of babies’ eyes. That is, when people use the phrase “in the blue eye”, they mean that the person is being hypocritical. An English equivalent would be: “With a straight face.”

It is interesting that there are several other expressions related to vision. For example, “не моргнув и глазом” (“ne morgnuv i glazom”) or “without blinking an eye”. This is said when someone wants to emphasize that a person immediately made a decision, without experiencing anxiety or doubt. There is a similar phrase in English: “Without batting an eye.”

Credit: Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: Robert Recker, Imgorthand/Getty Images)

#russianexpression

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Russia Beyond

29 Nov, 10:01

Where do cosmonauts prepare for flights? In the Star City settlement in the Moscow Region!

The ‘Yuri Gagarin’ Cosmonaut Training Center, established in 1960, is located there. The settlement is closed to the public, but you can enter either on a tour or as a candidate for a flight into space. The first is easier!

What can you see? For example, the local CF-18 centrifuge, the largest in the world. This simulator determines what space overloads a person is ready to bear. And, in the swimming pool, they simulate weightlessness conditions and practice various situations in space. There are also other simulators, spacesuits, and spaceship models.

In addition, the Center’s museum stores Yuri Gagarin’s personal belongings, items that have been in space and scientific equipment used by cosmonauts.
And, if you want to feel weightlessness, you can fly in a real Il-76 ‘MDK’ training airplane simulator. In it, you will feel the lunar and Martian gravity.

You must book the tour at least 21 working days in advance, while foreign citizens – a minimum of 60 days in advance.

📸 Grigory Sysoev, Ilya Pitalev, Roman Sokolov/Sputnik, Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS

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Russia Beyond

29 Nov, 07:01

Let’s continue the topic with Russian fairy tale characters!
We also use them to describe people - so take notes to be creative 😉

P.S. Catch more of my lessons on YouTube!

#russianclasses

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Russia Beyond

29 Nov, 06:01

How a Russian Cossack almost killed Napoleon

This happened on January 29, 1814, after the Battle of Brienne between the French and Russian-Prussian troops. It was a victory for Bonaparte.

The emperor was returning to his camp from the battlefield when he was suddenly attacked by a Cossack detachment that had infiltrated the French troops from behind. During the skirmish with the convoy, one Cossack broke through to Napoleon and aimed to pierce him with his pike.

Bonaparte was saved from death by his adjutant, Lieutenant General Gaspard Gourgaud, who shot the Cossack with his pistol.

Gourgaud himself also miraculously survived that day. The blow from the Cossack’s pike struck his Legion of Honor cross, which he had earned for his distinction in the Battle of Dresden in 1813.

Credit: Public Domain

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Russia Beyond

29 Nov, 05:34

A craftswoman from Russia makes these toy houses from the most ordinary cotton wool

Video by: https://vk.com/public212264927

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Russia Beyond

22 Nov, 16:25

We're finally going to visit the Tretyakov Gallery!
How much are the tickets? Let’s check together!

P.S. Catch more of my lessons on TikTok!

#russianclasses

🔔 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

22 Nov, 16:08

Midnight sun and a blooming tundra — is this how we imagine the Arctic to be?
The editors of the educational project 'Children of the Arctic' battle the most widespread myths about the North.

Find out more: https://vk.com/public210625393 / https://arctic-children.com

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

22 Nov, 14:33

Question time!

What are three words that come to mind when you think of Russia?

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Russia Beyond

22 Nov, 14:01

Saints canonized before the division of the church into Catholic and Orthodox are equally revered by both faiths to this day. Among them are popes. Find out who they were and why they are so popular in our latest history report.

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

22 Nov, 12:01

On this day, 83 years ago, the ‘Road of Life’ opened, saving under siege Leningrad

German troops closed the blockade ring around the second largest city in the Soviet Union on September 8, 1941. The only way to connect Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) with the “mainland” was via Lake Ladoga.

Already in November, the question of winter arose – what would happen after navigation ceased?

On November 17, a group of soldiers from the 88th separate bridge-building battalion came out onto the thin ice. They had to walk 30 km and mark the route with signposts (poles).

The Chief of Logistics of the Leningrad Front, Lieutenant General of Technical Troops Zakhar Kondratyev recalled:

“The snow dust blinded the eyes, the storm wind burned the face, knocked people off their feet… The ice cracked menacingly… The soldiers tied themselves with ropes… Each one carefully watched his comrade, ready to immediately rush to the rescue in case of trouble.”

The group was noticed – German artillery opened fire on them. Nevertheless, the next day, the exhausted scouts reached the opposite bank.

On November 22, 1941, the first transport with food went to the city along ‘Military Road No. 101’, known as the ‘Road of Life’.

The road was used until the blockade was broken in early 1943. During this time, more than a million goods were delivered to the city and about 1.5 million residents were evacuated to the “mainland”.

Credit: Archive photo

Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

22 Nov, 10:24

The cold season is no reason to stay at home. Let's visit Russian Santa, hunt for the northern lights and get acquainted with the New Year's capital.

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

22 Nov, 08:07

Peterhof’s water symphony captivates the imagination, turning every visit into an unforgettable journey through time.

Video by: instagram.com/photo_surkhaev

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

22 Nov, 06:08

Land of the Leopard National Park is considered the 'most thickly cat-populated' protected natural area in Russia.

This is a unique region in the southwest of Primorsky Krai that was not affected during the glacial period

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

21 Nov, 15:06

Vadim Ordinartsev’s impressive jump over Elbrus entered history as a unique feat — three world records in the skies above the Caucasus

Video by: Ruptly

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Russia Beyond

21 Nov, 12:16

The Jasper room has appeared in Orenburg

Russia has more than just Amber and Agate Rooms. The new Hermitage-Eurasia Center in Orenburg recently opened the Jasper Room! The semi-precious stone used for its creation was mined at the Orsk deposit.
Jasper vases and bowls decorate the halls of the Hermitage - this material was valued for its richness of shades not only by craftsmen, but also by the monarchs who commissioned it. Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine that someone would be able to create an entire room out of this stone. But, Orenburg masters managed to accomplish this task.

The variegated jasper of Mount Polkovnik has been known for 250 years. The stones mined there are characterized by unusual patterns - as if some magician had painted bizarre patterns on the stones with a brush. It is believed that local jasper has more than 350 different shades.

The work was supervised by Nikolay Mestyashev, a master stone cutter, who has been working with jasper for more than 20 years. According to him, the task of creating an entire room from this stone was not an easy one. Jasper is a very hard material, the craftsmen sawed through less than a centimeter in a minute to gradually reveal the stone pattern and create real masterpieces. From scratch, such work would have taken at least 4-5 years, but the stonecutters already had the material, so it took a little over a year.

The 75-square-meter room is decorated with jasper panels consisting of plates no thicker than 4 mm. Twenty-three tons of stone were processed for their production and only three were selected for the panels.
The collection of works made of semi-precious stone - various vases and caskets, which Mestyashev collected over 46 years, is now stored in the Jasper Room.

Credit: Hermitage-Eurasia center

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

21 Nov, 10:22

Want to enjoy beautiful scenery from the train window? Here are some travel ideas that will captivate you with unique and unusual views.

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

21 Nov, 08:06

Enchanting Urals in the fall!

Video by: @parmatime

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Russia Beyond

20 Nov, 15:06

A fairy tale Russian table spread…! 🤤

Video by: instagram.com/yaga.rest

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Russia Beyond

20 Nov, 13:17

"We began making our own films, not imitating anyone or trying to be like anyone else," says Aleksey Romanov, a director from Yakutia. Despite having a population of around just one million, his homeland ranks third for film production in Russia. Yakutian films are beating Hollywood’s superheroes. Tune in to our new premier to see the local legends of the silver screen.

Lights, Camera, Yakutia! / 2024
#Russia

🎚️ docuplanet x rt.doc

➡️ Watch more documentaries like this on our platform en.rtdoc.tv
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Russia Beyond

20 Nov, 10:14

An unusual challenge for today! The task is to make new words from ‘гимнастика’.

👩‍🎓How many words did you create? Share below!

#russianclasses

🔔 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

20 Nov, 10:06

This cable car in Vladivostok has been running since 1962!

Video by: instagram.com/krasivoe_vl

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Russia Beyond

18 Nov, 15:00

This ANCIENT idol was created in the early Iron Age!

This is not an ordinary idol, this is the idol of the master of the Angara taiga! On the top of a hill, located on the left bank of the Taseeva River in the Motyginsky District, Krasnoyarsk Territory, there is an unusual ancient monument – a sculpture made of a block of sandstone, on which a man's face has been carved.

The Ust-Taseev idol was discovered in 1976. It dates back to the Early Iron Age (that is, the 4th-1st century BC) and is considered to be one of the northernmost stone sculptures in Asia. Many beliefs are associated with it, for example, one of them says that if you fall asleep there, you will have very realistic and nightmarish dreams.

In a severe thunderstorm, lightning always strikes the hill: having discovered this unusual feature, the people who lived there erected the sculpture and began to bring it gifts. Oer time, many tribes “modified” its appearance to resemble them. Initially, it was similar to the Siberian Scythians – with a beard, mustache and furrowed eyebrows. And, by the time of the Russians' exploration of Siberia, it had acquired more mongolian facial features. Scientists believe that the Tungus, having become acquainted with tobacco, decided to share their valuable discovery with the idol: that's how it got a hole for a pipe.

Credit: Service for State Protection of Cultural Heritage Objects of the Krasnoyarsk Territory / @krasookn

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Russia Beyond

18 Nov, 13:57

‘Carnival Night’, ‘The Irony of Fate’, ‘Office Romance’ and many other movies loved by audiences were directed by Eldar Ryazanov (1927-2015). On the birthday of this legendary director, we recall his main hits.

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Russia Beyond

18 Nov, 11:47

There are plenty of unique characters in Russian fairy tales.

💧Vodyanoy is a water spirit. He usually appears as an old man with a huge belly and green hair and beard.

🐺The Grey Wolf and 🐴The Little Humpbacked horse are wise animals who help Ivan Tsarevitch and Ivan the Fool.

🪶Nightingale the Robber is a robber from Russian folk poems. He’s famous for his strong whisper, which can even knock down a man.

🐦‍🔥Finally, Firebird is bascially a phoenix - often coveted by a tsar of some sort, owing to the bird's magical ability to bring joy and good fortune!

❓Have you read any of Russian fairy tales?

📸: Garri Bardin/Soyuzmultfilm, 1979; Владимир Торопчин/Мельница, 2007; Геннадий Спирин/Рипол-Классик, 2012 г; Юрий Кавер/Sputnik; Владимир Милашевский/Детская литература, 1986

#russianclasses

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Russia Beyond

17 Nov, 14:01

American professor William Brumfield about the old Russian town of Tikhvin, where prominent composer Rimsky-Korsakov was born.

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Russia Beyond

17 Nov, 11:21

🎵 Listen to this 1962 song about the Volga River.

Many Russians still love to sing it at the table gatherings.

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Russia Beyond

17 Nov, 08:37

Did you know that Russia has the longest railway in the world?

And yes, it’s the famous Trans-Siberian Railway.
At 9,288 km long, it’s more than twice the length of the second-longest (Toronto to Vancouver in Canada). The journey from Moscow to Vladivostok takes around six days and travels through the Ural Mountains and a lot of forests.

📷 Legion Media

#didyouknow

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Russia Beyond

17 Nov, 07:08

Blogger Shamil Gunibsky shares incredible views from the Caucasus Mountains! 🏔️

Video by: t.me/sh_gunibsky

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Russia Beyond

16 Nov, 15:20

We bet you know or even have read Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' and 'Anna Karenina'. But are you familiar with his last novel 'Resurrection'?
The writer himself considered it his finest work, by the way!

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

16 Nov, 13:06

Why was a Soviet gymnast called the ‘Bride of Mexico’?

Nineteen-year-old #Soviet gymnast Natalia Kuchinskaya competed at the 1968 #Olympic Games in Mexico City. That year, the already difficult situation at the international competitions was further complicated by the fact that Soviet troops had entered Czechoslovakia. Kuchinskaya's main competitor was Czech athlete Vera Caslavska, gold medal winner at the previous Olympic Games in Tokyo... But, as soon as the Soviet gymnast stepped onto the platform, the audience gasped in admiration. Neither the fans nor the athletes had ever seen such grace and beauty. Natalia Kuchinskaya not only won the balance beam and team events, but also won the hearts of the fans.

"The heat was deadly, the air was thin! After the first day of competition, we arrived at the Olympic Village completely exhausted. And, suddenly, they came and said: ‘I have been chosen as the ‘Bride of Mexico City’! I didn't have time to be proud, because they explained to me: according to their legends, this is the most beautiful girl who is sacrificed to the gods. So that they will have mercy and protect the city. I ask: ‘And why am I being sacrificed? I am from the Soviet Union’," the athlete later recalled.
The next day, the newspapers were full of the following headline: "#Russian gymnast is the bride of Mexico!"

Credit: Yury Somov/Sputnik, AP, M. Gankin/Sputnik

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Russia Beyond

16 Nov, 09:17

Sharlotka apple pie: the taste of Russian fall

This #dessert is so easy to make that even a child can handle it!

Every fall Russians pick tons of apples at their dacha countryside. And they literally don't know what do to with them! Homemade jams and drinks, salads, and simply sliced apples as snacks... but it all becomes boring soon.

So as the last resort Russians bake the Sharlotka apple pie. Ingredients are simple and cheap. A few apples, a glass of sugar, a glass of flour and three eggs. Mix everything together and bake! That's it!

By the way, this apple pie is a simplified version of the Charlotte Russe dessert, invented by the French chef of Emperor Alexander I. Initially, it was a cake with cream and whipped cream, which later turned into a biscuit with apples.

📷 Legion media

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Russia Beyond

16 Nov, 07:08

This summer, 12 kittens were born to two female Pallas' #cats. Look how they have grown in just a few months!

Video by: https://vk.com/id447839222

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Russia Beyond

15 Nov, 16:08

10-year-old Vasilisa Ermakova has become a global sensation in the world of #snowboarding

Video by: Ruptly

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Russia Beyond

15 Nov, 14:06

Agate Rooms: A ‘terem’ like Olympus

Catherine II confessed in a letter to the architect Falconet that she "would like to have a project of an antique house, planned as in ancient times". Her dream was realized by Scottish architect Charles Cameron. In Tsarskoye Selo, he created a whole complex of buildings in the image of Roman baths, which included the ‘Cold Bath’.

On the first floor, there were swimming pools and steam rooms, while, on the second floor, which was called the ‘Agate Rooms’, there were offices, including the Agate and Jasper, a library and reception halls. There, the empress studied documents in the mornings and answered letters. Different types of jasper were used to decorate the second floor, including the ‘Urazovskaya’ jasper, which was dubbed ‘meat agate’, because of its rich, deep red color. Hence, the name of the entire floor.

Unlike the panels of the legendary Amber Room, which could be moved from palace to palace, the jaspers of the Agate Rooms were created to decorate only this building. The stone plates were glued to the walls, massive doors, columns and complemented with marble and porphyry.
The combination of Roman #architecture with decoration in the style of Russian mosaics made an indelible impression. Poet Gavriil Derzhavin called it “a ‘terem’ equal to Olympus”.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Agate Rooms suffered greatly: German troops broke the doors, destroyed the bronze decor and damaged the jasper panels. After restoration, the building returned to its original appearance. Today, you can see the luxurious Agate Rooms only in the summer in good weather.

Credit: Tsarskoye Selo State Museum

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Russia Beyond

15 Nov, 12:01

Never been to the Tretyakov Gallery? Today I'm showing you how to get there!

❓Are you familiar with the name of the place? What would you like to see there?

P.S. Catch more of my lessons on TikTok!

#russianclasses

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Russia Beyond

15 Nov, 11:12

WEIRD ads from Tsarist Russia

You can't always immediately understand what these posters and postcards are advertising. But, it’s impossible to take your eyes off them!
A giant child walks along the roofs of #Moscow buildings. Where is he rushing? To get candy, of course!

The goal of any advertisement is to clearly show the advantages of the product.
The protagonists of these advertisements were not just people, but also animals.

For example, here, they advertise the ‘Rakovye sheiki’ candies.
A company of frogs advertises perfumes from the St. Petersburg factory of Vasily Aurich.

In addition to regular advertising, the ‘Einem’ confectionery factory created an entire artistic series. For example, themed postcards that were sold together with a box of chocolates. Sailboats and airplanes, seafaring, prehistoric animals – what wasn’t there! It's unlikely there was chocolate in the time of the dinosaurs. But why not fantasize?

And this ad promised customers the strength of a lion. Just a cup of cocoa – and you can defeat the king of beasts.
Dourdin beer lovers, meanwhile, must have remarkable strength!
Hair growth products were advertised by gnomes…
…and typewriters – by strongmen!

Even a drowning man would be happy with a chocolate bar.
This is not a romantic plot, but an advertisement for shoe polish.

A flower with a woman's face is depicted on a candy ad…
…and cosmetics…
…and even wines!

Credit: Archive photo

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 19:56

What foreign products were available in the USSR?

Tangerines from Morocco, processed cheese from Finland, canned vegetables from Hungary and Bulgaria – Soviet housewives knew how to make an impressive holiday table spread.

Products from abroad, as well as other goods, came mainly from the Socialist Bloc countries, rarely from the Western powers. One of the first capitalist countries to start supplying products to the USSR was Finland. Boxes of ‘Viola’ brand cheese with a girl on the label were eagerly bought. As were frozen vegetables from Poland and canned vegetables from Bulgaria and Hungary.

Almost every housewife had a jar of green peas for the New Year's table. Some products, such as bananas, were bought unripe. A bunch of green bananas (they were imported to the USSR from Ecuador and Cuba) was hidden in a cupboard, where it was supposed to lie until it ripened.

A typical picture from a Soviet movie: The main protagonist shows his apartment and, in one of the rooms, of course, there is a scarce wall unit with a bar, where bottles of foreign alcohol are displayed. The Soviet Union was regularly supplied with Czech beer, Bulgarian brandy and Romanian vermouth. And PepsiCo decided not just to begin supplying after establishing a working relationship with the Soviet government. In 1959, it presented its products at an exhibition in Moscow's Sokolniki Park and, in the 1970s, the first workshop for the production of the flagship drink opened in Novorossiysk.

Credit: Gennady Scherbakov/Sputnik

💥 Russia Beyond
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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 18:57

Maria Sharapova has been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame! 🎉 🎾

The tennis player won the poll, in which Hall of Fame members, historians, journalists and fans all vote in. The induction ceremony, meanwhile, will take place in August 2025, ahead of the U.S. Open.

The athlete becomes the third Russian to be bestowed with such an honor. Before her, only tennis players Marat Safin and Evgeny Kafelnikov had been elected.
Maria Sharapova is one of the most titled Russian and world tennis players. She has won five ‘Grand Slam’ tournaments and was atop the world rankings five times in her career.

She retired in 2020 at the age of 32.

📷 Fred Lee/Getty Images

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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 16:56

Russian Toy: A Little One with a Big Heart

One of the smallest breeds in the world, the Russian Toy is a cheerful, tireless companion who happily participates in all of their owner's activities. Whether it’s traveling or dancing!

Before the revolution, small decorative breeds were very popular in Russia, with English Toy Terriers especially prized. But, after that, interest in breeding them almost died out. Only in the 1950s did cynologists decide to create a new type of small companion dog. And it turned out even better - two varieties, smooth-haired and long-haired. In 1997, the first unified breed standard was approved. In 2006, both varieties - the Moscow Longhaired Toy Terrier and the Russian Smooth-Haired Toy Terrier - were united under the common name ‘Russky Toi’ (‘Russian Toy’). Eleven years later, the breed was recognized by the FCI.

It is a small, elegant dog (when fully grown, its average height is 22-27 cm) with a perky tail and large erect ears has a cheerful and affectionate character. Rich colors with tan points - black, brown, blue, lilac, red with black or brown - immediately distinguish it from all others. And the "fringe" on the ears and tail of the long-haired variety emphasizes its graceful silhouette.

Dogs of this breed look like toys, but this is only one of the many advantages of the breed. They are ready to participate in long walks and travel or play sports: Russian Toys love to participate in agility games and even in dog dances, which invariably delight the audience!

Credit: Ekaterina Chesnokova/Sputnik, Natalia Seliverstova/Sputnik, Legion Media

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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 15:24

Why is Eastern Europe so gray and gloomy? 🤔

⛓️ Watch more on TikTok

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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 14:55

This Soviet artist turned photographs into 3-D art objects

Vladimir Kupriyanov experimented with photography, turning prints into art objects and large-scale canvases.
A theater director by education, Kupriyanov was able to create photographs literally out of nothing. He could stop a wedding procession to persuade the bride and groom to run for the camera, taking close-up shots.

He used not only his own photographs, but also found ones, creating installations out of them. Overexposed, divided into parts, superimposed in several layers on top of each other, frames turned into three-dimensional photo objects.

In the early 1990s, the artist created a series of panels consisting of several photographs. For example, from a photograph of workers at one of the Moscow factories, an almost biblical work was born: ‘Do not cast me away from Your presence’.

And he supplemented the portrait series of factory workers with the text from Pushkin's poem ‘The daylight has gone out…’.
The ‘Vladimir Kupriyanov. Return of Time’ exhibition runs at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art until November 24.

Credit: Moscow museum of modern art

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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 13:46

How a Russian ‘fleet of lunatics’ almost started a war with Great Britain

This story happened during the Russo-Japanese War. On October 15, 1904, the Second Pacific Squadron left Libau (Liepaja) and set off on a long voyage to the Far East, bypassing all of Eurasia.

The ships’ crews were in constant tension. Even there, so far from Japan, everyone expected an attack by submarines and enemy warships disguised as merchant ships.

“Everyone is tracking a barely noticeable light on the horizon, looking for signs of suspicious ships against the illuminated sky,” Vladimir Kostenko, a naval engineer on the battleship ‘Oryol’, wrote in his memoirs.

Ultimately, on a foggy night from October 21 to 22, in the Dogger Bank area of the North Sea, near the English city of Hull, the Russian squadron mistook a group of unknown ships for Japanese torpedo boats and attacked them.

To their horror, the Russian sailors soon realized that the “boats” were British fishing trawlers. As a result of the “battle”, one trawler sank, five were damaged, two fishermen were killed and six were wounded.

The Dogger Bank incident outraged British society and the local press dubbed the Russians “pirates” and “a fleet of lunatics”.

“It is almost inconceivable that any men calling themselves seamen, however frightened they might be, could spend twenty minutes bombarding a fleet of fishing boats without discovering the nature of their target,” wrote ‘The Times’.

The countries found themselves on the brink of military conflict. And only lengthy negotiations and monetary compensation paid by Russia settled the matter.

The Second Pacific Squadron, in turn, continued its voyage, as it turned out, to meet its inglorious death in the ‘Battle of Tsushima’ in May 1905.

Credit: Legion Media

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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 12:55

Did you know that Russian troops were once in Rome?

This happened during the war of the second anti-French coalition of 1798-1802. At the beginning of the campaign, the French subjugated almost all of Italy.

Russia, Austria and Great Britain could not allow such an expansion of French influence. The Apennine Peninsula became a field of fierce struggle.

The Russian army, led by the brilliant Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov, fought successfully in the north of Italy, while the Russian fleet under the command of the equally talented Admiral Fyodor Ushakov operated in the Mediterranean Sea and landed troops on the southern coast.

Thanks to one of these landings in May 1799, the French lost Naples. In the fall, it was Rome's turn.

A detachment of 800 bayonets under Colonel Anton Skipor advanced to the "eternal city". In addition to the 2,000-strong French garrison, there were forces of local pro-French republicans in Rome.

However, when the enemy learned of the approach of the Russians, it immediately capitulated. However, it surrendered not to Ushakov, but to Horatio Nelson's English squadron operating in that area.

The insulted admiral ordered Skipor to leave for Naples, but soon received a request from the cardinals to send Russian soldiers to Rome anyway – to maintain order there. Which happened on October 11, 1799.

"The delight with which the residents greeted us brings the greatest honor and glory to the Russians. From the very gates of St. John to the soldiers' quarters, both sides of the streets were dotted with inhabitants of both sexes. Our troops could hardly pass. ‘Vivat Pavlo primo (Russian emperor Paul I)! Vivat Moscovito!’ was proclaimed everywhere with applause," reported Lieutenant Pyotr Balabin.

The Russians remained in the city for some time and then went to liberate Malta from the French.

Credit: Mikhail Ivanov

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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 12:01

“Viy” by Gogol is 💯 the most terrifying book in Russian literature.
Absolutely what you need on Halloween eve. 👻
It is the tale of a priest who has to hold a funeral service for a young girl. This funeral would have been routine, except that the dead girl suddenly wakes up as a witch and calls on her devilish friends and ghouls to form a coven.

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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 09:54

How the USSR & the U.S. almost started World War III

On ‘Black Saturday’, October 27, 1962, the world was one step away from a nuclear apocalypse. A Soviet anti-aircraft missile shot down an American U-2 Lockheed reconnaissance aircraft over Cuba, killing the pilot.

This day marked the culmination of the Cuban Missile Crisis between the USSR and the U.S. The conflict between the superpowers arose, due to the Soviet Union’s deployment of R-12 medium-range missiles in friendly Cuba, capable of reaching Washington.

This step was a response to the Americans’ deployment of PGM-19 ‘Jupiter’ medium-range missiles in Turkey in 1961. According to USSR Defense Minister Rodion Malinovsky, they “could reach Moscow in 10 minutes”.

On October 22, the U.S. imposed a naval blockade on Cuba. Their reconnaissance planes constantly flew over the island, but the Soviet anti-aircraft systems did not touch them.

When one such plane was finally shot down on October 27, the situation began to escalate rapidly. President John F. Kennedy's advisers suggested that he launch an invasion of Cuba and strike at the Soviet troops stationed there.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro, in turn, called on Nikita Khrushchev to strike the United States. However, the leaders of the superpowers ultimately chose the path of negotiations.

And the intensive dialogue between the leaders of the two countries bore fruit. The USSR agreed to remove its offensive weapons from Cuba. The Americans pledged to remove the ‘Jupiters’ from Turkey and guaranteed the security of the ‘Island of Freedom’.

In January 1963, after a joint appeal by the United States and the USSR, the issue of the Cuban Missile Crisis was excluded from the agenda of the UN Security Council.

Credit: MPI/Getty Images

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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 08:36

Did you know that the largest cat in the world (Siberian tiger) lives in Russia?

Indigenous to the forests of eastern Russia, these endangered giants can grow to over 3m long, and weigh up to 300kg.

📷 Vostock-Photo

#didyouknow

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Russia Beyond

27 Oct, 07:55

An incredible sunrise

Video by: t.me/e_karepanov

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Russia Beyond

26 Oct, 17:58

3 flights in Russia that work like a time machine

If you fly these routes, you will find yourself at your destination earlier than you left! And all because of the time difference!

There are 11 time zones in Russia, so passengers on these flights literally find themselves in a “time machine”.

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky – Moscow. The time difference between Moscow and the capital of Kamchatka Krai is 9 hours and the flight time is 8 hours and 50 minutes. Thus, you arrive in Moscow 10 minutes earlier than you took off!

Anadyr – Moscow. Between Chukotka and Moscow, the difference is also 9 hours, but the flight time is 8 hours 10 minutes. The airplane arrives 50 minutes before the departure time.

Magadan – Moscow. The time difference between the cities is 8 hours, but the flight time is 7 hours 40 minutes. So, passengers arrive 20 minutes before the departure time.

True, if you fly from Moscow to these cities, on the contrary, you will arrive the next day.

Have you ever flown on such flights?

📷 Ilya Naymushin/Sputnik

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1,648
Russia Beyond

26 Oct, 15:51

What does the expression “not good for shoe soles” mean?

During an argument, you may hear: “Он в подметки не годится” (“on v podmyotki ne goditsa”) or he's “not good for shoe soles”! What do shoe soles have to do with it?

In the old days, they used to wear ‘lapti’ (bast shoes) woven out of tree bast. To make them last longer, leather soles were attached to them. The material had to be durable, otherwise they quickly became unusable. On average, one pair could be worn out in four days during the warm season! Poor quality leather, of course, could not be used for shoe soles.

That is why the expression “not good for shoe soles” began to be used when someone wanted to draw attention to the bad qualities of something.

In Chekhov's story ‘Belated Flowers’, the protagonist falls in love with the doctor who treated her and her brother: “She looked at him and compared his face with those faces that she has to see every day. How unlike this scholarly, tired face were the haggard, dull faces of her suitors, Yegorushka's friends, who bore her with their daily visits! The faces of idlers and drunkards, from whom she, Marusya, had never heard a single kind, decent word, were ‘not good for shoe soles’ for this cold, impassive, but intelligent, arrogant face.”

One could also say: “It does not compare in any way”, “There is nothing to look at” or “It should be worse, but there is nowhere to go”. An English equivalent would be: “Not fit to hold a candle.”

Credit: Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: Andrey Arkusha/Global Look Press)

#russianexpression

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