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The shallow Busse lagoon acts as a massive natural incubator for dozens of marine species. When the tide goes out, you can walk directly on oyster beds and gather fresh delicacies by hand. It is one of the few places where premium seafood literally lies beneath your feet.
Video by: /channel/go_sakhalin
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More than 190 ethnic groups live in the Russian Federation. Today, we're highlighting the Abazins!
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Let's learn some clothing vocabulary in Russian!
The most Russian American reveals not only essential words for items like 'hat' or 'fur coat', but also which verbs to use...!
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The Red Army liberated this city on just the second day of the Great Patriotic War
Przemyśl was among the first cities to come under attack by the Wehrmacht in the early morning of June 22, 1941; the state border ran right through the city along the San River. Nevertheless, it took the Germans about ten hours to break the resistance of the border guards and the garrison and bring the city fully under their control.
But they shouldn’t have let their guard down: the retreating border guards joined forces with arriving Red Army units and launched a counteroffensive. Following an artillery barrage, troops stormed the city from several directions and engaged in fierce street fighting. Here is how ‘Pravda’ newspaper war correspondent David Novopolyansky described the battle:
"The invaders had entrenched themselves most firmly at Five Corners Square.
Machine guns fired from the windows of the four-story building as if from embrasures. Yet, the border guards managed to make their way into the building. Komsomol member Shcherbitsky threw an enemy machine gunner out of a second-floor window. Sergeant Major Malkov hurled grenades at the fascists holed up in the basement. Handler Andreev and two border guards followed a dog that unerringly tracked down camouflaged submachine gunners."
By 5:00 pm on June 23, the troops had managed to drive the enemy back across the San River and completely liberate the Soviet-held section of Przemyśl. The soldiers dug in and successfully repelled German attacks for several more days. However, due to Wehrmacht breakthroughs in neighboring sectors of the front, the command ordered the city to be abandoned on the morning of June 27.
The Red Army finally liberated Przemyśl on July 27, 1944.
Credit: Gateway to Russia (Photo: Public Domain, Created by OpenAI)
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Why did the ‘ball bearings drop behind the roller bearings’?
Have you been struggling with a difficult problem all day to no avail? The only result is a complete fog in your head. That’s because your “шарики за ролики заехали” (“shariki za roliki zayekhali” or "ball bearings dropped behind the rollers").
This expression predictably originated in mechanics. In a properly functioning device, all parts operate correctly and nothing disrupts their movement. But if, for example, you were to combine two types of bearings – a ball bearing and a roller bearing – the device would begin to move erratically, eventually breaking down or jamming.
The analogy stuck and the phrase came to be used when someone is confused, unable to think clearly, or has lost their mind.
An English equivalent would be: “To lose one’s marbles.”
Credit: Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: Studio Blond, Photodsotiroff, Temir Shintemirov, koosen/Getty Images)
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👗✨ The seventh Moscow Fashion Week kicked off at the Manege, with models presenting new collections and guests showing off their own striking looks.
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How Alexandre Dumas traveled through Russia
The writer arrived in the Russian Empire in June 1858. He had tried to visit earlier, but was denied entry under Nicholas I; the tsar strongly disliked and disapproved his novel ‘The Fencing Master’, which depicted the failed attempt by a group of conspiring nobles to overthrow him in 1825. There were no such issues, however, under Alexander II.
Dumas began his journey in St. Petersburg, where he was greeted with enthusiasm and jubilation and where every effort was made to fulfil his every wish. The writer was most captivated by the ‘white nights’: "Everything around you is pearly, shimmering with opalescent hues… a silence that refreshes the soul, a peace that gladdens the heart, a stillness that makes one constantly listen, wondering if the singing of angels or the voice of God might suddenly ring out!"
Russian cuisine, however, left the guest with mixed feelings and impressions: "Even if they never let me back into Russia, I have to say that sterlet fish soup is an utterly revolting concoction." On the other hand, he was absolutely delighted by the ‘kurnik’ – a pie filled with chicken and eggs – and demanded the recipe be given to him immediately.
The Moscow Kremlin, "bathed in a soft glow and shrouded in a ghostly haze", struck him as a "fairy-tale palace", whereas Moscow itself seemed more like "a vast village than a great city". The writer then journeyed along the Volga River, visiting Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov and Tsaritsyn (later Stalingrad and then Volgograd). In Kazan, he fulfilled a long-held dream – he went hare hunting. Because of this, the scheduled steamship was even delayed for a full day. Astrakhan struck him unpleasantly, due to its lack of paved streets: “The heat turns the city into a dusty Sahara, while the rain transforms it into a lake of mud.”
Dumas’ journey continued into the Caucasus. There, he visited the cities of Kizlyar, Derbent, Baku and Tiflis (Tbilisi); he climbed mountain peaks, witnessed the rituals of fire-worshippers, was crowned ‘Emperor of Literature’ and watched burning oil spread across the sea. He even took part in a firefight with rebellious highlanders – though, in all likelihood, this was staged to entertain the Frenchman.
“I know of no journey easier, more peaceful or more pleasant than traveling through Russia,” declared Dumas, who set sail from the city of Poti for Marseille on February 1, 1859.
Credit: Gateway to Russia (Photo: Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images; Carnavalet Museum)
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Balls, theatrical premieres, hunting, court receptions — no, this isn’t the new season of ‘Bridgerton’, it’s the society pages of pre-revolutionary Russia!
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Horse, equestrian, rock. What a pure Dagestan vibe…! 😲🏇🏞️
Video by: vk.ru/id838990872
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Quiz time! 🛏️
What letter is missing?
⬇️Tell me in the comments!
#russianclasses
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How the USSR invented the atomic CLOCK
In 1964, the Institute of Time and Space Metrology developed the first national standard for time and frequency; atomic oscillations began to be used to measure time and, from that point on, the Soviet Union switched to "atomic time".
Prior to this, signals for verifying the exact time were transmitted using pendulum clocks: the person on duty would call the radio station via telephone and a signal would be tapped out there using a telegraph key. However, this system was prone to errors. Atomic clocks – which are vastly more accurate – were needed for more than just everyday life. A specialized high-precision unified time service, established at a Soviet institute, initially developed them for the military and armed forces. They are essential for aviation, navigation, radio and television broadcasting and telecommunications – anywhere where even fractions of a second matter. In 1964, a standard was introduced that reproduces and maintains the length of the atomic second and the atomic time scale, utilizing quantum-mechanical hydrogen generators and a group of high-precision quartz clocks.
Scientist Sergey Pushkin became the chief designer of the atomic clock. The device occupies several rooms with a total area of 1,000 square meters, featuring strictly controlled temperature, humidity and magnetic field conditions; the building itself rests on a seismic-resistant foundation. Three years later, in 1967, the system was officially approved. In 1972, the signals from the State Time and Frequency Service radio stations were synchronized with the international standard.
Soviet atomic clocks are considered among the most accurate in the world. Their margin of error is extremely small – amounting to a deviation of just one second over 500,000 years, provided that this marvel of technology is not synchronized with other clocks.
Credit: Institute of Time and Space Metrology
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People, sometimes up to 200 million at a time, would sit in front of their TVs, press their ailing body parts against the screen and believe in a miracle. Mainstream medicine dismissed this as autosuggestion and banned the broadcasts. Anatoly Kashpirovsky died in Moscow on October 3.
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Pacific fall evenings: Waves, rocks and Kamchatka’s wild coastline…
Video by: t.me/elf_s_dronom
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Question time!
What associations come to mind when you think of autumn in Russia?
📷 Tretyakov Gallery
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How Russians taught the English (and not only them!) to drink tea with LEMON!
Tea was introduced to Russia from Asia in the 17th century. As early as 1679, Russia and China concluded an agreement on tea supplies and the beverage gradually spread throughout the country. Tea was imported into Russia by caravans overland.
Russians became widely acquainted with lemons later than they did with tea. Although it had been fashionable to grow them in tsarist greenhouses since the time of Peter I, they did not become a popular fruit among the common people until the second half of the 19th century. It was then that a Nizhny Novgorod merchant named Ivan Karachistov brought back saplings of Turkish lemons, which, surprisingly, took root in ordinary Russian homes.
By that time, tea began to be served in roadside taverns. They say this is exactly how the tradition of putting lemon in tea arose. After all, something sour helps to relieve nausea on long journeys. The idea originally came from the caretakers of post stations where travelers stopped, but, later, it was adopted by tavernkeepers, as well.
📷 AnnaMusina, Historic Maps/ullstein bild, The Print Collector/Heritage Images/Getty Images; Boris Ignatovich/MAMM/MDF; Nikolay Moshkov /TASS
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Dizzying mountain peaks here seamlessly transition into deep gorges and the bright turquoise waters of the Sulak Canyon. This region also boasts ancient stone villages built directly into the steep rocky cliffs. It is no wonder this mesmerizing Caucasian landscape draws more travelers every single year.
Video by: t.me/omargadzhiew
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#RussianLanguageExported
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Are you thinking about studying in Russia? Or are you helping your child choose a university? Then you should definitely check out the ‘Study in Russia’ portal!
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She had dreamed of becoming a great actress since childhood. But, she became a true cultural phenomenon: a star of theater and cinema, an author of books, a researcher and a public speaker.
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How a Soviet officer once saved Kim Il Sung’s life
It happened on March 1, 1946, in Pyongyang. Kim Il Sung, head of the provisional North Korean government, was addressing a rally on the square outside the railway station when someone in the crowd threw a grenade toward the podium. Second Lieutenant Yakov Novichenko from the security platoon, was the first to reach it. With no time to think and people all around, he threw himself to the ground and covered the grenade with his body.
The explosion tore off Novichenko’s right hand and injured his left eye. He was literally covered in wounds, yet, by some miracle, the junior lieutenant survived – a thick book tucked under his clothes had absorbed the brunt of the shrapnel.
Kim Il Sung regularly sent him flowers and fruit to the hospital and, later, presented him with a silver cigarette case bearing an inscription of gratitude. After recovering, the officer returned home; in 1951, he received the ‘Order of the Red Banner’ for his heroic deed, subsequently living a modest, low-profile life.
However, in 1984, everything changed dramatically: Kim Il Sung visited the USSR and decided to meet with his savior. At the leader's invitation, Novichenko visited the DPRK, where he was awarded the honorary title of ‘Hero of Labor and the Order of the National Flag’, 1st Class. In 1985, a joint Soviet-North Korean movie titled ‘A Second for a Heroic Deed’ was released and, a couple of years later, a monument was unveiled in North Korea depicting the Soviet officer lunging for the grenade, while leaning on the pages of a book.
From that time on, Kim Il Sung and Novichenko maintained contact almost until the very end of their lives — both passed away in 1994. But, even after that, the brave junior lieutenant was not forgotten in North Korea. In 2014, the hero’s 100th birthday was widely celebrated there and a North Korean delegation led by the ambassador visited his native village of Travnoye, Novosibirsk Region. On September 7, 2026, the grand opening of the first road bridge connecting the two countries – named in honor of Yakov Novichenko – took place.
Credit: V. Kiselev/Sputnik
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Russia’s Rosatom corporation has unveiled a new ‘Novolakskaya’ wind park that is producing 300 MW in total.
Video by: Rosatom/Ruptly
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Who was the first Russian woman to travel through Central Asia?
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In the village of Istok near Yekaterinburg, Konstantin Reshetkov builds bizarre homemade vehicles…! 😲😂🚗🚙🤡
Video by: instagram.com/moto_kosta/
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Meet Yura Borisov, the star of ‘Artificial Intelligence’ and ‘Anora’. On Monday, the premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Artificial’ took place in New York, in which the Russian actor plays 'OpenAI' co-founder Ilya Sutskever. He's reportedly being considered for an Oscar nomination for his performance, which would be his second in three years.
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In this painting, the face of Alexander Nevsky seems to bear the features of… a completely different monarch. Why?
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How Russian sailors ‘re-educated’ their captain with an oar blow to the head
Alexander Kruze was one of Russia’s most distinguished admirals, a recipient of the prestigious ‘Order of St. Andrew the First-Called’ and a hero of the wars against the Prussians, Turks and Swedes. A historical anecdote from the naval commander's early years is recounted in Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich’s 1909 publication, ‘Russian Portraits of the 18th and 19th Centuries’.
On July 5, 1770, Kruze took part in the ‘Battle of Chios’ against the Turks. He was in command of the ship ‘Evstafiy Plakida’; a spark landed in its powder magazine, causing the vessel to explode. The captain, his face burned, was thrown into the water, but managed to cling to a piece of the mast.
A rowboat from his ship happened to be nearby. However, instead of receiving help, Kruze was suddenly struck hard on the head with an oar. The captain's excessive severity and cruelty toward his crew were to blame, which had driven the men to a state of extreme resentment.
Nevertheless, a member of the crew took pity on him: the sailors hauled the captain into the rowboat, having first extracted a promise that their action would have no consequences or repercussions. And Kruze kept his word. Moreover, the blow from the oar had a remarkable transformative effect on him. As ‘Russian Portraits’ notes, he "completely changed the way he treated his crew after that and earned everyone’s love."
Credit: Gateway to Russia (Photo: New York Public Library)
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Ladybug invasion spotted in Altai! 🐞🐞🐞🐞😱
Video by: Ruplty/Altai Nature Reserve
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How a disabled woman SAVED 17 wounded Soviet soldiers
In October 1941, Nazi forces occupied the village of Yuryevskoye, southwest of Moscow. They abandoned 17 severely wounded Soviet prisoners of war in a local church. Local residents carried the men to an abandoned house. No one wanted to care for them – except for Pelageya Bragina.
"When I went to see them, the stench hit me instantly: rotting blood, putrid pus, urine and feces. The soldiers were lying on the floor on dirty hay – abandoned by everyone, unwanted by anyone," she recalled.
Pelageya cared for them as best she could, treating them with herbs and whatever else she could get her hands on; she washed blood-stained bandages and reused them time and again. Her efforts were truly heroic, especially considering she had suffered from bone tuberculosis in her leg during her youth and had been left permanently disabled. Soon, neighbors and residents of nearby villages began to offer cautious assistance, as did partisans who had learned of her makeshift hospital.
The Germans knew about the house where the wounded men were kept, but took no action against them. Only the village elder, installed by the Nazis, threatened that, as soon as they recovered, he would send the soldiers straight to a prisoner-of-war camp.
Every day, Pelageya woke up fearing that this might be the day the Nazis would massacre the men in her care. Whenever German soldiers looked into the house, she would ask the Red Army men to turn away, close their eyes and believe that their own troops would soon arrive to rescue them.
The most dangerous incident occurred on January 1, 1942, during a Soviet counter-offensive near Moscow. A German column was retreating through the village, when soldiers and an officer burst into the house. It crossed Pelageya’s mind that the wounded men would surely be killed now. She rushed to shield them with her own body: “At that moment, I was ready for anything. Their lives were my life. If we were to live, we would all live. If we were to die, let me die first.” Fortunately, the disaster was averted and, three days later, the Red Army entered Yuryevskoye.
Credit: Gateway to Russia (Photo: Israel Ozersky/Sputnik; OpenAI)
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How a student from Slovakia learned Russian in just 6 months!
Andrey came to Russia for the first time. He's going to study at the St. Petersburg State University and hopes to become a diplomat one day.
The Slovakian student started learning Russian at the Russian Center for Science and Culture in his homeland. After six months, he says he's achieved such a level of language that he'll immediately begin the first university year, skipping the preparatory faculty.
How did he do it? Well, to improve his Russian, Andrey spent a couple of months at the Pushkin Institute's (/channel/pushkininstitute) summer school in Moscow.
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Mobile communication existed in the USSR as early as the 1960s. 👨🚒
And it worked right up until the early 2010s, when it was displaced by 2G and 3G digital cellular networks.
The first station with an antenna was installed on the Stalin-era high-rise on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment in Moscow. Soviet officials used this system and radio communication points were installed in their ‘Volga’ cars.
By 1983, the system served dozens of cities and thousands of users. Communication was very reliable and you could talk just like on a regular phone. But, there was a serious flaw – the channel was open and easily interceptable. 📟
You can see this and other exhibits in the new permanent ‘The Age of Information. Humanity's Journey Through Eras and Technologies’ exhibition at the branch of the Polytechnic Museum (/channel/polytechmuseum) in Veliky Novgorod.
📸 Gateway to Russia (Photo: TASS, Makhnach_M/Getty Images)
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