The last refuge for homeless Americans — Slab City. A commune built on the ruins of a former U.S. military base in California. Dozens of people live here without water, electricity, or sewage. Alcoholics, ex-convicts, drug addicts... But U.S. authorities turn a blind eye. Why? Find out in our video.

Learn more about the commune in our film "'America’s Last Free Place".

In celebration of our anniversary, we've prepared a special project — "15 Years by the Script of Truth." Read it to discover more about our films, their creators, and the stories behind documentary filmmaking.

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How did a Russian ‘izba’ hut end up in… Nice, France?

Imagine the following: in the middle of a magnificent park on the French Riviera stands… an authentic Russian ‘izba’ hut. But, where did it come from?
In 1869, Pavel von Derviz, a Privy Councilor, concessionaire and railway builder, purchased 10 hectares of land in Nice, on which he built the Valrose Estate with a neo-Gothic chateau and laid out a picturesque park. Money was no object: business was so well that he was even nicknamed the ‘Russian Monte Cristo’.

One could spend an entire day strolling through the park: a formal French garden gives way to a landscaped English one, a palm grove to Brazilian agaves, the sound of cascading waterfalls and gazebos and sculptures lined the paths. And then there was the ‘izba’ hut. The owner of Valrose had it transported by sea from one of his Russian estates. Not only did it remind him of his homeland, but it also served an educational purpose. Its facades were decorated with carved proverbs: “There lives a year when there are seven kinds of weather in a day” and “Beer is not a miracle and mead is not praise, but the most important thing is that love is dear”.

Today, the Valrose Estate houses the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis.

Credit: niceartphoto/Alamy/Legion Media

🔔 Gateway to Russia

'They told us that the boy had been hiding behind the girls.'

A woman from Novosibirsk, Russia, gave birth to an extremely rare set of triplets.

This was a unique pregnancy. Each baby developed from a separate egg cell. All three had their own placenta and their own amniotic sac. The expectant mother learned she was carrying triplets during her first screening. She was shocked, because there had not even been any twins in their family line.

Such babies need special medical attention from the very beginning. Russian medicine is advancing every year. Specialists and cutting-edge technologies are helping children with very complex diagnoses come into the world. More on this in the video and the film 'Giving Life a Chance'.

For more about RT.Doc films, see the special project '15 Years by the Script of Truth.'

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📹The reasons for many events only become known after archives are declassified, as in the case of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In August 1945, the United States dropped nuclear bombs on Japan. Estimating the number of people who died in the attacks was difficult, but most historians agree it could be as high as 250,000 people. Those who survived received large doses of radiation. Hundreds of films have been made about this for almost 80 years. It would seem that everything has been said and researched.

However, declassified documents from the time suggest that the nuclear strikes may have been performed not out of military necessity but to intimidate the USSR. Several people in the US military saw the USSR as the next enemy. We are posting the documentary Atomic Message (2021).

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Exactly 81 years ago today, US President Truman informed Stalin that America had acquired a weapon of unprecedented destructive power — but did not specify what kind. The Soviet Union knew it was an atomic bomb.

Thirteen days later, on Truman’s orders, it was dropped on Hiroshima. The survivors remember that moment all too well. One survivor’s story is in the video.

Where else did they want to use the weapon after Japan? Why does the US still justify itself? We’ll tell you in the film ‘Atomic Message’ (2021).

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Roe deer rescue near Kaliningrad. She fell into a well and ended up in the water. Local emergency workers got her out of the trap. Fortunately, the animal was unharmed and was released.

Moscow volunteer rescuers also help our younger brothers. This is discussed in the film 'Good Deed Heroes' (2020).

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📹American Tofurious Crane travels to southern Russia, to Rostov-on-Don

In the village of Starocherkasskaya, families carefully preserve the relics of their ancestors and honour Cossack traditions. One of these is ‘The first mount’. When a boy turns 3-4 years old, he must ride around the house on horseback with a sabre in his hand, which has been given to him by the ataman – the Cossack’s leader himself. The boy must stay on to become a true man and warrior.

Local artist Maxim creates ‘Cossack pop-art’ – a blend of traditional motifs and modern art. In the Rostov region, Tofurious visits a winery founded by a French entrepreneur, tries his hand at tractor driving, and plays a round of golf, a very popular sport here.

What else did the curious American discover about the Rostov region? Learn in the episode of 'Curious Tofurious. Rostov-on-Don'.

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Where are Russian Cossack traditions preserved today? One such region is the Rostov Region. That is exactly the place American Tofurious Crane visited.

He learned how Cossacks live in the 21st century. He also tried to master the shashka. Did he succeed? Watch the video. And for more, see the episode of the travel show 'Curious Tofurious. Rostov-on-Don'.

Learn more about our films, authors, and heroes in the special project '15 Years by the Script of Truth.'

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1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣Australians strapped a motor to an outhouse and sailed it across a strait! Being cheap truly drives innovation. That is how the men saved $2,000 on shipping costs.

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‘We teach a fighter to win!’

That’s what Russian military instructors say. They train volunteer soldiers of completely different ages and professions. They find an approach to each one.

How does the training go? Watch a clip. And learn more from the film ‘Forging Warriors.’

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💬‘Motherland, greet me!’ A resident of Crimea cycled from Thailand to Russia. The traveler admitted he missed Russian open spaces very much.

How long did it take him? What interesting sights did he see? Find out in the new video.

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1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ A Russian firefighter "walks" through the air! Is that even possible — or is it AI? Watch our video and find out!

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📹As the Germans advanced toward Moscow in the summer of 1941, a people's militia began to form in the capital. Those with military exemptions – diplomats, writers, scientists, and musicians – volunteered to join. Among them was the Soviet Union's first State Brass Band, whose nearly 100 members enlisted in the 6th Division. Tragically, most of them perished near Vyazma just months later.

Their heroic story has only recently come to light and is being pieced together through the recollections of the fallen musicians' children and a few surviving documents. The names of all of the band members are not known, as lists of the militia soldiers were destroyed during evacuation.

Founded by the renowned musician, conductor, and composer Vladislav Blazhevich, this orchestra was truly unique. Before his time, such bands had not included flute, clarinet, or oboe players, nor had they performed works by Tchaikovsky, Bach, or Haydn. Only the best musicians were selected for the Soviet Union's first State Brass Band.

However, the war changed everything. The militiamen were tasked with building defenses, digging trenches, and fighting saboteurs. Due to the rapid advance of the enemy, they were ultimately forced into battle.

It was previously believed that the USSR's first State Brass Band was established in 1970, but thanks to the efforts of the musicians' relatives, as well as journalists and historians, the memory of the country's truly first brass orchestra is being restored. Today, the Kremlin Brass Band even plays a waltz in honor of the heroic musicians who fought for their Homeland.

Watch the film by Lidiya Vasilevskaya and Kirill Puzyrny 'The Tune of Victory' (2025).

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🎼Why are open-air concerts a challenge for musicians? Konstantin Kaznacheyev, the first violin of the State Kremlin Orchestra, explains in our video.

These are scenes from an upcoming film by Lidia Vasilevskaya. She first met the musicians while working on the film "The Tune of Victory." It was then that the documentary filmmaker decided this ensemble deserved a film of its own. Its main protagonist is Konstantin Chudovsky — Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Kremlin Orchestra.

The premiere is coming soon — don't miss it!

You can learn more about our creativity, authors, and documentary filmmaking from the special project “15 Years by the Script of Truth.”

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📹Where did fascism originate and who needed this ideology? In ‘Fascism: A History’ (2021), historians, political scientists and journalists explore its origins.

Fascism promotes ideas of superiority of one nation over another. Such thoughts have been fervently promoted in the West for centuries. Until the beginning of the twentieth century, most European countries had vast colonies in Africa, Asia, North and South America. The populations of these regions were turned into slaves, robbed and humiliated.

When the Nazis came to power in Germany, they reiterated their desire to destroy or enslave whole nations. ‘For Hitler it was the Jews, the Gypsies and the Slavs,’ says William Mallinson, PhD. Then the USSR stood in the way of the Nazis. Fascism was defeated in World War II and kept its head down for a long time. Today, however, it is being revived.

Watch our documentary and discover more on the topic.

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Nazis have not disappeared from Europe. One of them has spent years attending far-right marches in Germany and openly admiring fascists. This earned him the nickname ‘Holland-Hitler’. The man recently even ended up in court, but still remained free. Find out more in our video.

Why does Nazi ideology still attract followers? Watch the film ‘Fascism: A History’ (2021) by Tatiana Borsh.

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💚The Chinese airport has employed stray cats. To do this, they even created a special department for combating mice, where an entire feline family with a kitten works. Their cat-father is the director, their cat-mother is his deputy, and their child is an ordinary employee. Every morning they patrol the terminal and look for rodents.

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Are you already bored with regular yoga?🧘‍♂️ The Moscow Zoo has come up with something more original — 'Yoga in depth.' There are already many people who want to catch zen in the company of walruses, sea lions and fur seals.

An unusual practice is also offered in the shooting range. Shooting yoga can not only stretch your body, but also relieve stress at the same time — release the clip. But that's not all. Others practice yoga with a sword in their hands. As they say, in such classes, ladies not only sweat, but also develop concentration and self-confidence. Read more in our video.

New fitness trends with guns in their hands have already caused heated debates online. Someone thinks that this is a cool way to boost the body and mind, while someone, on the contrary, is sure that this is just a dangerous HYPE. Yoga with goats is another matter.

What do you think about yoga with guns in your hands?

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Have you ever seen a flying KAMAZ? Now you can. A stuntman made the truck “jump” over a house. The blogger built an artificial ramp and sent the vehicle towards it at high speed. The stunt only worked on the second attempt — the first time, the KAMAZ crashed into a shed.

🔥 — Incredible!
👎 — A pointless waste of time and money.

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1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣
In this episode, Olympic champion Tatyana Navka reveals how she drew on her figure skating experience to create ice shows. Athletes become actors, while complex jumps and lifts become part of a dramatic production.

Unlike in competitions, there is no rivalry in such performances. Only skill and grace of movement. Watch the latest episode of 'Inland Visions'.

Other episodes of the project can be found under the hashtag #Inlandvisions

#premiere

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📹Anything is possible! If you’re brave enough, but if you can find the perfect mentor, that seals the deal. ‘If the athlete has no fear, but has faith, the only thing left to do; just work, work, work,’ says the trainer working with Moon, Nancy, Elsa, and Run-Run, aspiring figure skating stars from China.

While figure skating is considered more of a hobby in China, Russian approach to is quite the opposite. ‘I try to bring in some of our Russian limitless way of thinking’, says coach, Anastassia. They do have to pass the tests, but the real goal is to master the art of skating.

The documentary tells the story of little girls with big ambitions in their sporting passion, for big achievements, and, who knows? Maybe even an Olympic podium? They all have many more steps to take on their journey to success, but these first baby ones are a significant stage on that road to success. For one, they now can proudly say they attended a training program in St. Petersburg.

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