At one point during Russian special purpose forces training, the trainees are shot at the chest while wearing body armor to give them a taste of the real battlefield.
There is an unreleased experimental Russian film where nobody…
There is an unreleased experimental Russian film where nobody on set was allowed to admit they were part of a movie production. Everyone had to pretend they were living in the 50’s for three whole years. The entire set was even wired to reproduce the effect of living under the Soviet regime.
The Moscow Water Dog is a now-extinct breed of dog that…
The Moscow Water Dog is a now-extinct breed of dog that was developed in the Soviet Union after WWII. They were bred to be water rescue dogs, but since they preferred biting drowning people to saving them, the breed was allowed to go extinct.
When a Russian jet crashed into a river, a captain…
When a Russian jet crashed into a river, a captain of a 1898-built steam tugboat tied a rope around the cockpit window and towed the jet to shore with all passengers still inside.
Russia has launched a campaign on ‘selfie safety’, following a spate…
Russia has launched a campaign on ‘selfie safety’, following a spate of selfie-related accidents, among which included two men killed by a live grenade they were posing with.
Russia banned the sale of vodka during World…
Russia banned the sale of vodka during World War I. The government immediately lost a third of its income.
It’s a faux pas in Russia to give your date a dozen flowers…
It’s a faux pas in Russia to give your date a dozen flowers; You give an odd number of flowers for a happy occasion, and an even number for condolences.
In soviet Russia there was a civilian award for…
In soviet Russia there was a civilian award for bearing and raising 7 or more children called “The Order of Maternal Glory”.
During the siege of the city during WWII, music performances were…
During the siege of the city during WWII, music performances were broadcast over the city of Leningrad 24/7 to bolster the civilians’ spirits. At rare times, when music wasn’t broadcast, a metronome was placed before the radio microphone to assure the people that the resistance was ongoing.
There are 1,311 people who live in Verkhoyansk, Russia…
There are 1,311 people who live in Verkhoyansk, Russia, a town with an average temperature of -45C (-50F) in January. In 2012, the town was attacked by a pack of 400 wolves.