Hematogen – The Legendary Russian Candy Bar Infused With Cow Blood
Hematogen, or gematogen, is a Soviet-era supplement notorious for containing at least 5 percent black food albumin, a technical term for cow’s blood. In the Soviet Union, even sweet treats had a practical purpose. In the case of Hematogen, its controversial secret ingredient helped consumers treat anemia, malnutrition, and fatigue. It was consumed by both […]
Security Guard Drew Eyes on Million Dollar Painting Because He Was Bored
A security guard got so bored on his first day at work that he ruined a million-dollar avant-garde painting by drawing eyes on the faceless figures depicted in the artwork. Anna Leporskaya’s Three Figures, an artwork painted between 1932 and 1934, was on display at the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center in Ekaterinburg as part of […]
Russian Businessman Builds Fairytale Castle in the Middle of a Lake
Chateau Erken, in the Russian Federation’s Kabardino-Balkaria autonomous republic, looks like an extremely well-preserved medieval castle, but in reality, this architectural wonder is just over a decade old. Located in the vineyard-dominated countryside of Kabardino-Balkaria, Chateau Erken is a tourist attraction unlike any other in Russia. Not only does it mimic the fortress-like design of […]
Heavy Soot Pollution Causes Snow in Russian Region to Turn Black
Residents of several villages in Russia’s Magadan region have recently reported black snow caused by the soot produced by an outdated, coal-powered water-heating plant. In Omsukchan and neighboring Seimchan, two villages in the Siberian far east, snow doesn’t always look the way you’d expect. In fact, sometimes it’s quite the opposite. Instead of an immaculate […]
Controversial Artist Uses Naked Women as Paintbrushes
Albert Zakirov, an artist from the Russian Federation’s Tatarstan Autonomous Republic has an original, albeit controversial painting technique – he uses women’s naked bodies as his paintbrushes. Albert Zakirov started drawing and painting at an early age and spent much of his childhood preparing for art school. After studying with an excellent teacher for a […]
Scientists Discover Blue Glowing Snow in the Russian Arctic
Russia is home to a number of unique and wonderful things, and apparently, the list also includes bioluminescent snow that glows blue. Last month, Russian biologist Vera Emelianenko went for a walk to the White Sea coast, high in the Russian Arctic, and noticed something very unusual in the snow – a blue glow that […]
Russian Influencers Sentenced to Three Years in Gulag For Pranking Uber Driver
Three popular influencers were recently sentenced to over three years in a Russian penal colony for pranking the driver of a ride-sharing company by pretending to steal his car. In March of 2021, the three bloggers decided to pull another one of their popular pranks and then post the footage on social media. They called […]
Why Go to the Beach When We Have Beach at Home?
If Aquaman had a home on dry land, I imagine it would look very similar to this Russian apartment that’s been getting a lot of attention on social media lately. Featuring a floor that imitates the ocean, complete with dolphins, sea stars, seashells and other marine life, this Russian apartment put on sale for a […]
Life-size Fire-Breathing, Three-Headed Dragon Statue Draws Crowd to Russian Village
In recent years, the village of Kamenka in Russia’s Lipetsk region has become famous as the home of Zmei Gorynich, a giant three-headed statue of one of the most iconic villains of Slavic folk stories. The “Kudykina Gora” family park on the outskirts of Kamenka village has become one of the most popular tourist attractions […]
This New Restaurant in Russia Looks Like a Dilapidated Mansion
To say the “Le Courage” restaurant in Sankt Petersburg, Russia, has a vintage look would be a gross understatement. The place looks to be in a state of severe disrepair, but it’s all by design, as the place just opened a couple of years ago. Located in Sankt Petersburg’s newly-built Russian House residential complex, Le […]
The Tiny Russian Village Where Everyone Knows How to Walk a Tightrope
Tsovkra-1, a small village in the mountains of Russia’s Dagestan autonomous republic, is famous for being the only place in the world where the entire able-bodied population knows how to walk a tightrope. No one knows exactly how the tightrope-walking tradition of Tsovkra-1 (named ‘1’ because of another Tsvokra village nearby) began, but one thing […]
28-Year-Old Russian Rapunzel Hasn’t Cut Her Hair in 23 Years
A 28-year-old nurse from the Russian city of Irkutsk has been dubbed the “Russian Rapunzel” after it was revealed that her ankle-long hair hasn’t been cut for 23 years. Anzhelika Baranova was only five when her hair was last trimmed. Neither she nor her parents planned to let her hair grow for over two decades, […]
This Carpet-Covered Lada Is the Most Soviet-Era Car Ever Made
There are many Soviet-era remnants scattered all over the Russian Federation, but few as blatant as this old Zighuli car covered in Persian-style rugs that recently went viral on social media. The Zhiguli VAZ was a popular car model produced in Soviet Russia and exported all over the world. Outside of the Soviet Union, it […]
Swedish Couple Banned From Naming Baby ‘Vladimir Putin’
The Swedish tax agency, Skatteverket, rejected a young couple’s request to name their son Vladimir Putin, the name of the famous Russian president. Public radio broadcaster SR recently reported the case of a couple based in Laholm, Sweden, who were banned from naming their newborn son after Russia’s president. Skatteverket didn’t explain exactly why they rejected […]
Political Candidate Forced to Run Against Doppelgangers Who Also Stole His Name
An opposition party candidate running for a municipal position in St Petersburg, Russia, is competing against at least two other people who not only legally changed their names to his, but also borrowed his physical appearance to confuse voters. Russian opposition politicians are used to running against candidates with the same surname, it’s a commonly […]