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tapestry of stories

Adam Curtis Delivers Harrowing But Essential View of Post-Soviet Russia in New Series

Nobody can accuse Adam Curtis of lacking ambition in his new BBC series “Russia 1985-1999: TraumaZone.” In a harrowing seven-hour viewing...

In Photos: Russia Celebrates Peter the Great's 350th Birthday

Over three centuries after Peter's birth, Russia appears more isolated from the Western world than ever.

differing visions

Isolated Russia Celebrates Tsar Who Opened ‘Window to Europe’

Authorities are downplaying Peter the Great's affinity for Europe more than three centuries after he worked to Westernize Russia.

prehistoric party

Bronze Age Tubes Found in Russia May Be Earliest Beer-Drinking Straws – Researchers

The intricate tubes once believed to be “scepters” may have actually been used for communal beer drinking.

opinion Mark Kramer

The Derailment of Memorial’s Goals – for Now

Putin’s efforts to curtail scrutiny of the Stalin era may succeed in the short term, but Memorial's work can't be erased from the historical record.

jailed activist

Russia Extends Jailed Gulag Historian's Prison Sentence to 15 Years

Yury Dmitriyev is renowned for his work that shed light on Soviet-era political repressions in his home region.

'history returns home'

Russia to Return Pre-War Jewish Archives to Greece

The archives, which Nazi forces plundered in 1942, had been transferred to Moscow after the Red Army took Berlin.

repeated history

Catherine the Great Smallpox Letter Echoes Russia’s Pandemic Woes

The Empress' letter has gone on display as Russia's current leadership struggles with its own vaccination drive.

Russia's Supreme Court Rejects Hearing on Gulag Historian’s Case

Yury Dmitriyev is serving a 13-year prison sentence on charges many believe are retribution for his work documenting victims of Soviet repression.

Re-Enactors Relive the Battle of Borodino on 209th Anniversary

The battle between French and Russian soldiers on the fields of western Russia would prove to be decisive for the Napoleonic Wars.

This Isn't Your Grandma's Russian Museum

Russian history meets cutting-edge technology in a new breed of immersive amusement parks.

opinion Andrei Kolesnikov

Fathers and Sons: A Kremlin-KGB Remake

By arresting family members of persecuted people, today's authorities declare themselves to be the direct successors of Stalin’s repressive system.

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conflicted history

St. Olga Dropped From WEF's Influential Women List Over Ukraine Criticism

The World Economic Forum had described St. Olga of Kiev as “the progenitor to modern-day Russia.”

Moscow Museum News: Awards Received and Offered

Two Moscow museums are celebrating awards, both being given and being received.

CONTROVERSIAL ELECTION

Moscow Mayor Scraps Vote on Soviet Secret Police Chief Statue

Sergei Sobyanin said the statue election was "increasingly turning into a confrontation between people holding different views."

Russian Movie Night: History on Screen

Ready for a weekend of binge-watching? How about an entertaining refresher course in Russian history?

5 Old Russian Games: Party Like It's 1897!

Bored children? Energy levels peaking? Cat and mouse to the rescue.

Nicholas II’s Backside Breaks the Internet With Resurfaced Skinny-Dipping Photos

Kim Kardashian who?

colorful history

Russian Photo Colorist Brings New Life to Historic Photographs

A former German language professor shows the true colors of Russia's history — from imperial royalty to ordinary Soviet citizens.

insulted culture

A New Movie Transports Anastasia Romanov to 1980s America. Russians Aren’t Happy About It.

Russian viewers say “Anastasia: Once Upon a Time” mocks one of the most tragic episodes in their country’s history.

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