Russia Travel Blog | All about Russia in English

Novosibirsk is the third city of Russia by population after Moscow and St. Petersburg. The city is business, cultural, industrial, scientific, trade and transport center of Siberia.

Novosibirsk was founded in 1893. The population of the city reached one million in 1962 making it the world youngest city with such a large population.

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Mar/12

15

Winter Kazan from bird’s eye view

Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan with the population of 1.1 million people. In 2005 the millennium of Kazan was celebrated. In 2013 the city will host the 27th World Summer Universiade, and in 2015 – World Championship of Water Sports.

Today Kazan is the center of Tatar people culture. Kazan Kremlin is among UNESCO world heritage and a 1000 year history of Kazan makes it one of Russian cities most often visited by tourists. Photos by Stepanov Slava.

Winter Kazan city, Russia bird's eye view 1

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Saint Petersburg is located in northern Europe, in the north-west of Russian Federation, on the shore of Finnish Gulf and on Neva River. It is the only city in the world with the population over 1,000,000 located so far in the north.

Saint-Petersburg is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, being an important center of tourism in Russia. In 18th-20th centuries the city was the capital of Russian Empire.

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Mar/12

6

Banknote of 1 billion rubles

One billion rubles (1,000,000,000 rubles) was a banknote used in the Caucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic in the period of hyperinflation of the early 1920’s.

Nominal value in figures and words, and warning labels are depicted on the obverse of the banknote.

One billion rubles banknote - obverse

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Mar/12

2

12 Years of Putin in 2 Minutes

This Sunday, March 4, will be the day of the Russian presidential elections, and with high probability we can say that the “winner” will be Vladimir Putin, the man who has been the President of Russia from 2000 to 2008. In 2008-2012 he has been holding the post of prime minister.

What will happen after the return of Vladimir Putin is not clear, may be we will see new repressions, reforms, or even revolution.

Russian artist Zhgun shows in this video, how it all began, what happened over the years and what lies ahead.

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“Dunai-3U” is early warning radar station of Soviet missile defense system A-35M located in Moskovskaya oblast. The station was put in service in 1978. NATO’s code for radar station “Dunai-3U” is “Cathouse”.

Today the station operates partly; most of the equipment was dismantled. Once it was one of the most secret military facilities of the Soviet Union. Today the station is practically deserted. Photos by artuniar.

Radar station Dunai-3U, Russia view 1

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Feb/12

25

Key facts about the sale of Alaska

The sale of Alaska was a deal between the governments of the Russian Empire and the North American United States. In 1867, Russia for 7.2 million USD (about 108 million USD in 2009), sold its territories in North America (total area 1,518,800 square km or 586,412 square miles).

At the time of the sale the entire population in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands was about 2,500 Russian and approximately 60,000 American Indians and Eskimos. At the beginning of the 19th century Alaska brought income from the fur trade.

Alaska map location

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Feb/12

21

Soviet propaganda – the beginning

Soviet propaganda is propaganda of communist ideas and the Soviet way of life. It was carried out deliberately and centrally under the direction of the Communist Party and was officially called the ideological work, educating the masses, etc.

The propaganda combined the universal values (freedom, social justice), and patriotism. Propaganda was conducted through the media, books, movies, theater, and visual art. Today it is the part of Soviet cultural heritage.

Let’s take a look at how it all began during the Civil War and establishing of Soviet power in 1917-1923.

Soviet propaganda - the beginning poster 1

Death to world imperialism!

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Feb/12

18

Frost-resistant horses of Yakutia

The Yakut horse (“sylgy” or “sakha ata” on Yakut language) is aboriginal breed of horses common in Yakutia. This breed of horses with long hair (8-15 cm) is the most frost-resistant. In winter it can feed on the grass from under the snow.

In Yakutia, the horses are living outdoors all year round (in summer the temperatures are up to +30 ° C and in winter down to -50 ° C).

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Abandoned Research Institute of Corrosion is located somewhere in the Moscow region. The institute was working on studying the effects of different environments and conditions on certain substances.

In the late 1980s due to lack of funding the institute was closed. Now this is the place where you can feel the atmosphere of the Soviet Union.

Abandoned bomb shelter, Russia view 1

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