Krasnodar is known as the southern capital of Russia and the homeland of Kuban Cossacks.

Tags: Krasnodar city · New Year

The first Chechen War began in the winter of 1994. Grozny was captured by the Russian army in February of 1995 after a battle. A lot of buildings and infrastructure objects of the city were damaged or destroyed because of the Russian Air Force and artillery strikes.

But the resistance to Russian troops was not ended, and numerous Chechen guerrilla raids continued to operate in the city from the nearby mountains. In August 1996, Grozny was recaptured by Chechen guerrilla in a surprise attack. The battle was ended after a ceasefire (in 1996) and peace treaty (in 1997) was signed between Russia and the Chechen Republic.

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Tags: Chechnya Republic · Grozny city

We are wishing you good luck and happiness in the coming year of 2012!

Tags: New Year

The year of 2011 is coming to an end and we are wishing you Happy New Year and great holidays!

Let’s look back at the posts of our blog that were of the greatest interest in 2011 (ranked by the number of pageviews).

1. Soviet space exploration program was definitely the most popular theme in 2011. It was the year of the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s flight into outer space. Propaganda posters of Soviet space program created in 1958-1963 still inspire and call people to explore the Universe.

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The rally “For Fair Elections” was held on Sakharov Avenue in Moscow. The participants protested against ballot rigging in the elections to the State Duma on December 4.

The officials of Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that the meeting was attended by about 30 thousand people. According to the organizers of the rally about 120 thousand people came to protest. The symbols of protest were white chrysanthemums and white ribbons. Photos by Ilya Varlamov.

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Tags: Moscow city

Kuban Cossacks (Kuban Cossack Army) is a part of Russian Cossacks of the North Caucasus, living on the territory of present Krasnodar krai, Stavropol krai, as well as the Republic of Adygeya and Karachay-Cherkessia. The military headquarters is located in Krasnodar (former Ekaterinodar).

Historically Kuban Cossacks were free militarized agricultural population. At the head of the Kuban Cossack Army was the chieftain (ataman), who was the military chief of the division and also the governor.

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Tags: Krasnodar city

Pyatigorsk (“the city of five mountains”) is the oldest balneological and mud resort of Russia and the largest cultural and tourist center of eco-resort region Caucasian Mineral Waters.

On January 19, 2010 Pyatigorsk received the status of the center of North Caucasus Federal District. It is the only center of the federal district not being the capital of the subject of the federation. Photos by timag82. Click the photos for high resolution versions.

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Tags: Pyatigorsk city

Omsk located about 2,600 km to the east of Moscow is the second largest city in Siberia. The city is standing on the banks of Irtysh river at the confluence with Om river.

The rivers connect Omsk with various coal and other mineral mining cities and towns of Kazakhstan and with oil, natural gas and lumber rich regions of Siberia. Video by Vladimir Skorokhod and Sergey Kotov.

Tags: Omsk city · time-lapse

Vologda Kremlin is historical and architectural complex located in the central part of Vologda. It was founded as a fortress in 1567 by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible and played the role of defensive fortification in the 16th-17th centuries.

By the 1820s the Kremlin walls and towers were dismantled. Today the territory of the Kremlin is a historical and trade center of Vologda. Several architectural monuments built at the same time as the Kremlin were preserved. They are standing on the Kremlin Square. Photos by Ilya Pokrovsky.

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Tags: churches · Vologda city

Dagestan Republic is a federal subject of Russian Federation, part of North Caucasian Federal District, located in the North Caucasus region. The capital city and administrative center is Makhachkala.

The name of the republic is meaning “The country of mountains”. About 30 peaks in Dagestan are above 4,000 m, the highest peak Bazardyuzyu is 4,466 m. Dagestan Republic of Russian Empire was formed in 1860 after the Great Caucasus War.

Tags: Dagestan Republic · landscapes