The North Caucasus is the region where the best Russian sea and mountain resorts are located. Among them are the resorts of Krasnodar Region, Caucasian Mineral Waters, Dolinsk, Elbrus, Dombai. At the same time it is the most unsettled region of the country.

The following scenic photos were taken in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia republics by Vadim Mahorov.

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Tags: Kabardino-Balkaria Republic · Karachay-Cherkessia Republic

Valery Busygin was born in 1952 in Morshansk, small town located in the north of Tambov oblast. In 1972 he graduated from Penza Art College named after K.A.Savitsky. Since 1990 the artist participated in a lot of exhibitions in Russia and abroad.

The paintings of Valery Busygin are exhibited in galleries: “Charles Hecht Galleries” Los Angeles, “Gabreal Franklin Galleries” Santa Cruz, “Richard Thomas Galleries” San Francisco, Monterey, Laguna Beach, (USA) and in private collections in Russia and abroad (more paintings of Valery Busygin).

Tags: churches · Tambov oblast

This unique museum was founded by enthusiasts. The exhibition can be found in one of the halls of the Moscow school №1262. The room is full of various exhibits in one way or another related to the Lend Lease program.

Lend Lease was a state program of the United States during the Second World War. In accordance with the program the U.S. supplied its allies (mainly the Great Britain, the USSR, France, and China) with munitions, military equipment, food, and strategic raw materials, including petroleum products. Photos by moscowwalks.ru

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Tags: Moscow city · museum

Pochozersky church complex built in the 17th-18th centuries is unique architectural ensemble consisting of two churches and bell tower – one of five remaining in the Russian North, and one of only three in Arkhangelsk oblast.

The complex is of significant historical and architectural value due to the fact that it has extremely rare in the Russian wooden architecture diagonal three-dimensional composition, which is unique in Russia. Photos by Constantin Voutsen

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Tags: Arkhangelsk oblast · churches

A characteristic feature of the nature of Russia is a huge amount, and an exceptional variety of lakes. According to the Big Russian Encyclopedia the total number of lakes in Russia exceeds 2.7 million; the total area (excluding the Caspian Sea) is more than 400 thousand square kilometers.

In the most part (about 98%) the lakes have small area (less than 1 square kilometer) and a depth of 1-1.5 meters. Large lakes are relatively few. There are about 140 lakes in Russia with an area of over 100 square kilometers, and only 9 lakes with an area of more than 1000 square kilometers.

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Elbrus is a stratovolcano in the Caucasus (on the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia). Elbrus is located north of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and is the highest peak in Russia. Also because the border between Europe and Asia is controversial, Mount Elbrus can also be the highest peak in Europe.

Elbrus is a saddle-shaped volcano with a two peaks. Western peak has an elevation of 5642 meters, Eastern – 5621 meters. The peaks are connected by a saddle (5200 meters), the distance between peaks is about 3 kilometers. By climbing classification Elbrus has rating 2A (snow and ice), climbing to the top of two peaks – 2B. Photos by Oleg Grigoryev.

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Tags: Kabardino-Balkaria Republic · Karachay-Cherkessia Republic

According to the statistics of Russia’s traffic police, 99868 road accidents with victims happened in Russia in 2011. In comparison with 2010 the number of accidents increased by 0.2%.

The number of victims that died in car crashes in 2011 was 27953 people – 1386 people more than a year earlier (5.2%). 251848 people were injured in crashes – the number increased by 1213 (0.5%).

The most frequent cause of accidents on the roads is a violation of traffic rules by drivers. The total number of recorded traffic violations in 2011 increased by 4% and amounted to 57.2 million cases.

In 2011, in Moscow, 11827 road accidents were registered, 701 people died.

Tags: Moscow city