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Arts & Life

Despite Sanctions and Boycotts, Some Western Musicians Return to the Stage in Russia

While these acts are hardly major names, their return signals that some Western artists are willing to risk backlash by entertaining Russian fans.

In Photos: Russians Celebrate Epiphany With Frozen Plunge

Russians marked Orthodox Epiphany overnight by dipping themselves into icy rivers, ponds and lakes across the country.
1 Min read
Feature

‘Heated Rivalry’ Catches Fire in Russia Despite Kremlin’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Repressions

For many Russian viewers, the series provides a rare portrayal of queer lives and relationships at a time when LGBTQ+ visibility has largely vanished.
4 Min read

In Photos: Moscow Braves Record Snowfall

The Jan. 9 snowfall ranked among the five heaviest in Moscow’s 146 years of weather records.
1 Min read

In Photos: The New Year’s Traditions of Russia’s Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous and minority communities have made an effort to revive their ancestral traditions of greeting the new year since the Soviet collapse.
1 Min read

Animated Putin Appears in Children’s Cartoon ‘Prostokvashino’

The animated Putin is voiced by actor Dmitry Grachev, known for his parody of the Russian leader on the show Comedy Club.
1 Min read

‘Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears’ Star Vera Alentova Dies at 83

Alentova rose to international fame for her portrayal of Katerina Tikhonova in the 1979 film, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film...
2 Min read

Russian Streaming Platforms Censor Pro-Kremlin Director’s Oscar-Winning Film

At least two online cinemas have cut scenes from Nikita Mikhalkov’s Oscar-winning 1994 drama “Burnt by the Sun.”
1 Min read
Feature

‘Dogs of War Go to Heaven’: The Russian Rappers Celebrating the Military

Rap Platoon is one of a handful of musical acts that have been producing patriotic, pro-war music. Experts say they're unlikely to make it big.
4 Min read

Russian Spy Chief Unveils Monument to Iconic Soviet TV Series

First aired in 1973, “Seventeen Moments of Spring” follows the exploits of the fictional Soviet spy Stirlitz, a mole operating inside Nazi Germany’s...
1 Min read

3 Russia-Themed, Anti-War Films Shortlisted for Oscars

Film critics said the shortlisting of the three films sent a clear anti-war, anti-authoritarian message.
3 Min read

Julia Ioffe’s Debut ‘Motherland’ Tells the Story of Russia Through its Women

Ioffe discusses the Soviet feminist experiment, the differences between Western and Russian feminism, the lessons we can learn from the women in “Motherland”...
9 Min read

Is Cheburashka a Soviet Jew? Budget Hearing Re-Ignites Debate Over Cartoon’s Origins

A State Duma lawmaker postulated that Cheburashka, who first appeared in a crate of oranges, was an Israeli Jew. The debate quickly went viral.
2 Min read

In Photos: The Works of Conceptual Artist Erik Bulatov

Bulatov was a leading figure of the Soviet pop art scene, bending figurative imagery with slogans and text to challenge state propaganda.
1 Min read

Russian Artist Erik Bulatov Dies at 92

Bulatov emerged in the 1970s as a leading figure of the Soviet pop art scene, bending figurative imagery with slogans and text to challenge state propaganda...
1 Min read

In Photos: Muscovites Celebrate Halloween in Defiance of Officials

Although officials and the Russian Orthodox Church discourage it, many Muscovites celebrated the holiday anyway.
1 Min read

St. Petersburg Street Musician Jailed Again Over Viral Anti-Putin Performance

Members of the group Stoptime were arrested shortly after being released from their first sentences.
2 Min read
Feature

Sensing War Fatigue, Kremlin Exploits Music Festivals to Subtly Cultivate Patriotism

Nearly four years into the war, officials are using cultural roots and entertainment to foster patriotism instead of overtly militaristic propaganda.
5 Min read

Singing These Songs in Russia Could Land You in Jail

Stoptime rose to viral fame this fall with its performances of popular anti-Putin and anti-war anthems in St. Petersburg. Its members are now in jail.
3 Min read
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